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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2011)
Page 8 Minority & Small Business Week September 21, 2011 Youth Gain Tools for Entrepreneurial Success OAME trains future business leaders velopment. Brooks said a variety of Port land companies, including the Trail Blazers and several bank ers, attended to talk to these young people about how to be by M indy C ooper successful. “At the conference, T he P ortland O bserver they also put together a business One local non-profit organi plan and compete in groups of zation has made it their mission five or six, and they are awarded to train future minority business with real money,” he said. “We leaders as a way to fight dis give everyone something.” crimination and racism through Although the conference takes out the region. place only once a year, youth Founded in 1987, the Oregon residents can participate through Association of Minority Entre out the year to gain experience preneurs is a non-profit organi with business, including a Youth zation dedicated to increasing Entrepreneurial Store program economic development for mi (YES), which teaches partici norities within the states of Or pants how to design, market, egon and Washington. carry out inventory, and manage “It is very difficult to do any a retail store. com m unity service yourself, “Sometimes we also bring when you are in need of ser them into business meetings so vices,” said Samuel Brooks, they can see adults running com OAME founder and board chair. Students at a youth conference sponsored by the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs work panies,” he said. “They never He said working with young on their business plans. really know what these people people has always been an abid are going to be the leaders of our established businesses, is dedi mally been in place for almost do, so we bring them in so they ing part of the mission of the future. We have to be commit cated all year long to provide 13-years, has provided opportu can see them in action.” organization. ted to our young people.” Portland’s youth with opportuni nities for 600 to 800 young indi Brooks said, however, the big “Whether we like it or not, The Association, through part ties to learn how to be success viduals within the community gest lesson the youth are taught, they are going to be the leaders nerships with minority entrepre ful in the business world. who have participated in the which can be heard at any one of of the future,” said Brooks. “And neurs, educational institutions, A ccording to Brooks, the various available opportunities. their meetings, is “no discrimina whether they like it or not, they government, the community and Youth program, which has for “You have to take the time to tion is acceptable.” work wfth young people, and “It is not just about African you have to believe it is some A m ericans, L atinos, N ative thing important for you to do,” Americans, European A m eri said Brooks. “They are all going cans,” he said. “Everybody is in. to school together, and see each Nobody is out.” other socially, but they have to “If you start out by saying no understand that once you are in amount ofdiscrimination is okay, the real world of work and fight then everybody is on that page,” ing for scarce resources, some said Brooks. “You have to keep of the things you don’t normally working on that with young think about begin to come out.” people.” The goal of the program works Brooks said any young person to engage youth in business prac who wants to participate can tices during the early stages of become involved, and every eth their development, in order to train nic group is encouraged to par future business leaders through ticipate. various programs, which provide Brooks said because it is so minority youth, ages 14-21, with difficult with the current lack of valuable tools to start a profitable jobs, youth must be encouraged and sustainable business. and be given the space to con Last month, the association tinue their education. “We pro held their annual summer Youth vide them with an opportunity to Academy and conference, which learn so they will be competitive is an all day event focusing on in the future,” he said. “And you the different ways youth can be have to be convinced that when successful in their own personal you do all of this, there will be business endeavors. something valuable at the end of Through group business ac the road.” tivities, public speakers, and vid “Real racism and discrimina eos dem onstrating innovative tion exist in the world, and we young entrepreneurs, those who need to move away from that” attended the event were given he said. “We need to remind an array of learning opportuni young people they can be suc ties, including leadership, team cessful.” work and social skills, education For more information about of economic development both OAME and their Youth Pro locally and globally, and oppor gram visit www.oame.org or call tunities for youth business de- 503-249-7744. 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