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.
Your Neighborhood Realtors
D w ell
dwell, (dwel) verb.-
“ To reside, live within or inhabit, to call home
Shelly Fullwiley
t * Tracey Hicks
* Torrey Nelson
5 0 3 .2 0 8 .3 7 9 7
w w w .dw ellrealtypdx.com