Small business event in South Bend

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The City of South Bend’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion is hosting its first Small Business Launch Pad event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Charles Black Community Center.

This event is to celebrate the resilience of small, local businesses and the hardships they faced throughout the 2020 year.

“The Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s ongoing investment black-, women-, and minority-owned businesses will have an impact that lasts long after this event. That’s why the title Launch Pad is so appropriate for the work being done,” said Michael Patton, a Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the City of South Bend.

This event will feature a vendor marketplace with 40 local businesses, music by Dream Team Live, games and crafts for kids, and a handful of basketball contests hosted by the local Legendary Era Basketball League.

“Looking toward the future, the investments we've made in businesses, especially those owned by black women entrepreneurs, will show the continued commitment of our office to economic inclusion while preparing business owners to capitalize on high traffic locations throughout this summer and for many summers to come," said Antonius Northern, the Inclusive Project Manager for the City of South Bend.

For more information about this event, visit here.