Black Business Belongs is a networking event and panel discussion, that will convene current and aspiring Black business owners and supporters from across SLO County for the purpose of encouraging, fostering and building regional economic development. The Black entrepreneurs panel will be moderated by City Coucilwoman and former business owner Erica Stewart.

As February is Black History Month, R.A.C.E. Matters believes it is important to forefront the accomplishments of local Black entrepreneurs. Black Business Belongs is a crucial component of our event series entitled BELONGING: Local Expressions of Black Empowerment and Possiblity.

Additional BELONGING events, include:

February 1st through April 30th Portraits and Perspectives at Downtown SLO, 1135 Chorro St.

February 1st through April 30th Portraits and Perspectives at San Luis Obispo Library, 995 Palm St.

February 29th Stories Matter: An evening of live storytelling at The Kinney SLO.

In commemoration of Black History Month, on February 1st local organization R.A.C.E. Matters will launch a month-long, multimedia, multi-location event series entitled BELONGING. The series kicks off February 1st with the R.A.C.E. Matters produced short documentary film Kut to be the Best- the Last Black Barbershop in SLO. The BELONGING program also includes Portraits and Perspectives: photography and oral history excerpts at the Downtown SLO Association office and the San Luis Obispo Library. Rounding out the month, R.A.C.E. Matters will also host a Black business leaders forum and evening of live storytelling. Some events have limited space and require reservations. See racemattersslo.org for details.

R.A.C.E. Matters SLO County is a community-based organization that amplifies the voices of Black and other People of Color, in an effort to build an actively anti-racist Central Coast.