By: Antonio Ray Harvey, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media
The Los Angeles Mayor’s Office, in collaboration with “Accessing LA,” is inviting all Angelenos to attend the Los Angeles Business and Financial Empowerment Summit on Saturday, Oct. 14. The event is being hosted by the Los Angeles Board of Public Works and Bureau of Contract Administration and is sponsored by BMO (also known as the Bank of Montreal). The venue for the summit is the BMO Stadium located at Exposition Park.
The summit aims to foster economic growth in the city by providing business owners and entrepreneurs with essential information, resources, insights into government contracting, and tools to boost their financial well-being.
The event, which begins at 9 a.m., will feature an expo with 100 resource providers, panel discussions, and numerous networking opportunities. Business owners and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to learn how to access capital and capitalize on emerging opportunities in today’s economy. The expo ends at 3 p.m. and the panel discussions run until 4 p.m.
The panels cover a variety of topics, including economic forecasts, access to capital, city resources, success stories, upcoming global events like the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic & Paralympics, as well as strategies for inclusive growth. The event aims to offer businesses valuable insights and resources.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and a guest speaker will be conducting a fireside chat. Remarks will be provided by the Board of Public Works Commissioner, Vahid Khorsand.
Summit attendees will have access to a variety of on-site services, including legal aid and consultation for contract drafting and negotiation, a Business Certification Clinic for guidance on obtaining government certifications, and Business Assessment services to help determine business needs. Also offered is Credit and Debt Counseling, Procurement Support for learning how to get access to contracting opportunities, and information on eligibility for down payment assistance programs like BMO’s Welcome Home Grants. Resources will be available for credit readiness and financial fitness, including upcoming financial education sessions and BMO’s Credit Builder and Savings Builder Programs.