In 2017, Fit Oshkosh Inc., an organization dedicated to improving racial equality and fostering an inclusive community, formed the Regional People of Color Business Association. It supported African-American business owners and had networking events, business trainings, and a coworking space.

That mission continued until 2020 when that organization was dissolved. The result was a new leadership group and rebranding as the ColorBold Business Association. The new group, under the guidance of Kimyatta Ratliff, president, and a diverse board of directors, is focused on assisting minority business owners and giving them greater visibility in the region.

Ratliff wears many hats. In addition to leading ColorBold Business Association, she is a minister, entrepreneur, community leader, and business strategist. Yet, despite all of those responsibilities, she brings great passion to the new position.

“I saw the value in what was there and brought my life experiences to the organization,” she said. “I am revamping our mission and vision and have rallied people around to help. We want to get people of color in front of everyone in our state, and then assist them in learning how to take on positions of leadership in business.”

Although the original group focused primarily on African-American business owners, Ratliff said the focus of ColorBold is on what is often referred to as the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) population.

She said, “ColorBold is a face where we bring all the minorities together; we see the benefit of including the Asian, Hispanic, and other minority groups. We want to be a space where we fill in the gaps and where people can work together.”

Already, they have developed a database of more than 600 minority businesses. That list is used for marketing and includes a regular newsletter that features some of the businesses and provides updates as the organization grows.

Currently, Ratliff is the driving force behind most of the marketing and other duties. She faces the challenges of growing a nonprofit and making it sustainable. As she does, she has had support from the Wisconsin Extension; Ryan Kauth, a mentor with the Green Bay SCORE Chapter; New North; and area chambers of commerce.

Funding is the greatest need, and Ratliff and board members are working to secure grants and find other ways to raise money. To help with that, an area foundation awarded them with a grant to get a fundraising plan done.

“With that grant, we have a consulting agency helping us find ways to bring in more funding,” Ratliff said. “We are also fortunate to have a person volunteer his time to help with grant-writing.”

Another source of income will come from membership dues (currently, membership has been free), events, and corporate sponsorships.

“Corporations can become a partner to support us on an annual basis," Ratliff said. "Also, we have a subcommittee that we are forming that corporations can be part of to help us champion the organization. They can sponsor events or take part in our navigator program.”

The navigator program will make it easier for corporations to connect with resources offered by BIPOC-owned businesses. Those who are looking to support BIPOC entrepreneurs will soon be able to access a business directory that is being put together with the assistance of New North and a group located in Milwaukee. When complete, the directory will identify businesses by location and category.

Ratliff gave examples of how the navigator program currently works.

“We had an organization in Appleton that was looking for a decorator and catering company for their event. We reached out and connected them to one of our BIPOC businesses; we’ve done this a lot when asked. We had one company that wanted to put together a Christmas box filled with items from color-owned businesses, and we were able to provide a list,” she said.

Growing this program is just a small part of what Ratliff plans. But, she says, initially one of the most important steps is to gain exposure as an organization. One of the strategies employed has been pop-up shops.

The first was held last year with the support of On Broadway and others have followed. The shops feature participation by BIPOC businesses where they showcase items sold in their stores, homes, or online. Not only do these events attest to the variety available, they also give the community an opportunity to come out, show their support, and encourage owners.

“By supporting a business of color, you support the whole community because you are making a space where the owner feels like they are welcome and matter. They will feel like they can survive and thrive.” Ratliff said. “That trickles down and affects other areas of concern in our communities.”

She added: “It can be more difficult for entrepreneurs and nonprofits of color because of race and prejudice. Due to their backgrounds, they are often behind other entrepreneurs when it comes to getting loans or support. They may face issues where people look sideways or are unwilling to support them due to bias.”

To counter this, ColorBold exists to promote the businesses and their importance in helping to erase bias. That is part of what Ratliff addresses as she networks with other community businesses and organizations to garner support. She connects with other chambers of commerce and says they are supportive of each other, although different.

What sets ColorBold apart is that it is more of a family organization.

“As we work with color-owned businesses, we know who’s who and who to reach out to. We are more direct in our involvement. We don’t just put out information, but we text and take time to uplift the owner’s work. We share and sponsor and help them make connections,” she said.

ColorBold also helps with mentoring. Whether it’s a referral to SCORE or another program where the entrepreneur can get advice, Ratliff says it is important to provide access to a list of resources. To that extent, she is also working on a detailed guide.

All of these plans get added to her “to-do” list. Her goals include working with the board to formalize a strategic plan, securing the funds to hire a social media/marketing person, holding more events and workshops, and arranging meetings to foster collaborations. As ColorBold matures, she believes that BIPOC entrepreneurs will benefit.

“The neat thing about this is that as we focus on color, our entrepreneurs feel more like part of the community," she said. "They feel empowered to do more when they are connected to people like them and feel included and supported. They become leaders, and the children in our community can look up to them and that produces more leaders.”

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: ColorBold promotes minority-owned businesses and helps erase bias