Mastercard supports Black communities in St. Louis through return of Delmar Black Business Expo
The annual Delmar Black Business Expo in St. Louis, which returned on August 26, is one of the numerous efforts Mastercard is supporting to help close the racial wealth and opportunity gap for Black communities across America.
Courtesy of Mastercard
Through its In Solidarity initiative, Mastercard draws on its own assets across the company—including technology, partnerships, products, and services—to further longstanding efforts that advance financial inclusion. As part of the mission, the company will invest $500 million in Black communities by 2025, making events such as the Black Business Expo possible.
As part of National Black Business Month this August, Mastercard was one of many sponsors that supported the expo, hosted by the Delmar Main Street Initiative. The initiative is a collaboration of residents, businesses, stakeholders, and city officials working together to revitalize and strengthen the Delmar Corridor, from the city limits to North Taylor Avenue.
Mastercard's partnership with the Delmar Main Street Initiative is the result of the company’s continued investment in the greater St. Louis community and because of ongoing work to support Black small business owners. “We connected with Delmar Main Street after they announced different initiatives with Greater St. Louis Inc, as well as the St. Louis Development Corporation supporting small businesses,” says Deann Donohue, vice president, Mastercard for Government. “They are trying to help drive more inclusion when it comes to businesses on Delmar, and we want to help make that difference. They’ve been doing a lot of work not only highlighting the brick-and-mortars that exist on Delmar but also on expanding beyond its current boundaries."
This year’s expo featured between 50 and 75 Black-owned small-business owners, including Leslie Christian-Wilson, owner of Diversity Gallery, a luxury boutique and all-natural hair salon with an art gallery as its backdrop. “The Delmar Main Street’s Black Business Expo is an actionable and impactful initiative that gives Black entrepreneurs the opportunity to pop-up and connect with consumers they would not ordinarily encounter,” Christian-Wilson says. “It gives them a space to showcase their goods and services to an untapped market demographic. Making these intentional opportunities available creates a space for these entrepreneurs to grow their business and collaborate with like-minded business owners, and it gives them the confidence to take their visions to the next level.”
Courtesy of Mastercard
Not only were brick-and-mortar stores highlighted, but online stores also had the ability to benefit from a new community card that will enable buyers to buy one gift card that can support multiple small businesses. “In 2022, we had a single-day event, but we heard over and over after last year’s event that people who didn’t know certain small businesses existed now have loyal followings as a result of this event,” Donohue says. “A lot of times, local businesses don’t have true brick-and-mortar storefronts, so it’s hard to get the word out. What we heard from small business owners is that bringing a brand like Mastercard into the fold helped them have better traction with customers in the local community.”
What many might not know, however, is that Mastercard is a vital part of the local St. Louis community, with more than 4,300 employees based in the area, many of whom regularly volunteer at such events as the Black Business Expo. “Doing well by doing good is at the core of who we are as a company, and St. Louis really exemplifies that,” says Donohue.
While Mastercard has invested financially in the efforts of supporting Black communities and businesses, the company’s level of volunteerism provides a tangible way for its team to play an instrumental role in advancing change and progress.
Delmar Black Business Expo
Join more than 50 Black vendors and shop owners selling unique products and services on Delmar Boulevard. For more information, visit delmarmainstreetstl.com.
When: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Saturday, August 26
Where: 5900 Delmar & Hamilton
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of Mastercard. To learn more, visit www.mastercard.com
Courtesy of Mastercard
