News

The 8th DBC Summit, put on each year by the DBC, took place Tuesday, August 30, 2022, with more than 130 attendees ranging from business owners, vendors, employees, managers, and executives. This is also the 10th anniversary of the DBC, formerly the Minority Business Council, being in the West Alabama community.

A panelist consisting of Moderator Michele Coley with Allstate Coley Agency, Secretary Fitzgerald Washington with the Alabama State Department of Labor, Mildred Black with People Optimum Consulting, and Thomas Dedrick with Dedrick Wealth Management Group of Raymond James began the ‘Past to Present’ discussion, showing a blast from the past: a video from 2012 showcasing the DBC’s first media coverage with WVUA 23. That introduction to the community and the media coverage that followed, along with the backing from The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, shed light on the lack of a true presence for groups, especially regarding Black-owned, women-owned businesses, and businesses owned by minorities or people of color. Because of that absence, Secretary Fitzgerald Washington and Jheovanny Gomez, owner of Jalapeños Mexican Grills in Tuscaloosa, Northport, and Cottondale, co-founded the Minority Business Council in 2012 and later named it the DBC. Secretary Washington said, “Who would have thought that a vision both Jheovanny and I shared would turn into this [pointing at the room] a decade later? This is why discussions and being intentional about change is important.”

The moderator, Michele Coley, as well as all the panelists, were an integral part of the advancement of the DBC. Mildred Black, previous DBC Chair, spoke on the importance of workplace conversations. She said, “We must extend this summit and its conversations to our workplace, church place, and at home. We need to continue to have courageous conversations that lead to impact.” 

Thomas Dedrick wanted the audience to reflect on the fact that “we, as a human race, must get comfortable having conversations about race.” He also noted that “we must learn the difference in each of those terms if we truly want to move forward as a nation and community.” Secretary Washington also gave recognition from the stage to one of Tuscaloosa’s trailblazers, Dr. Charles Nash, who was proudly in attendance.

Marlin Hall with Buffalo Rock - Pepsi echoed his sentiments of what DBC meant to him and what it should mean to others before introducing the keynote speaker.

The keynote address was given by Dr. G. Christine Taylor, Vice President and Associate Provost at The University of Alabama, who spoke on the Future of the Workplace. Dr. Taylor had interactive components in her address that asked for audience input and engagement, reiterating the fact that “different people have different perspectives who see differently, which is why discussions are vital.” She mentioned that we, as a community and ultimately a nation, must develop the skills of being an empathetic listener while having civil discourse. Dr. Taylor said, “If you care about people, you have to care about this, because it is truly the unique qualities that each of us bring to the table, and you never know where talent will be there and appreciated.” She said sometimes there is evidence to the contrary, but we still lock a person into the stereotype we’ve seen from the media, had little to no exposure to, or learned at home. Dr. Taylor wanted those in attendance to ponder, “How do we present ourselves or position ourselves to maximize the qualities that every individual—especially those who don’t look similar to us—bring to a given process?”

City of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox provided insight on his efforts to employ all ethnicities over the span of his time as mayor, and he provided an update on the City.

JacQuan D. Winters, the DBC Chair, gave closing remarks and DBC action items such as forming a DBC Steering Committee, hosting lunch and learns, having business roundtables, and hosting mixers, among others, to create opportunities and eliminate barriers.