A call to arms for Black business

Black Enterprise, Nov, 1996 by Carolyn M. Brown, Tonia L. Shakespeare

Like Fonseca, SBA Administrator Phil Lader was appointed to his post a little over a year ago A South Carolina businessman, educator and member of the President's Cabinet, Lader understands firsthand the needs of small business. While loans to minorities and women have increased under his administration, much more needs to be done.

Although SBA and MBDA are interested in remaining separate, they are planning to collaborate in such areas as Empowerment Zones and Business Resource Centers In fact, Fonseca stresses that even though the two are sister agencies, the MBDA must remain a separate entity to ensure the progression of black businesses. Quoting the late Ron Brown, Fonseca warns that "It would be a unilateral disarmament of small black businesses if Commerce/MBDA was