Asian Business Empowerment Council

ABEC, Amplify LatinX, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc., and Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Inc. had a great time celebrating our 16 National Grid Small Business Impact Initiative Grantees at Grace by Nia! Each organization recognized 4 small business in their networks to receive a $10,000 grant from the National Grid Small Business Impact Initiative – A grant dedicated to empowering and uplifting small businesses from under-resourced communities. ABEC is proud to announce this year’s grant recipients: Conrado, D’Lightful Beauty, Madhrasi, and Nine Winters Bakery. We are proud to say to say that they are both AAPI-owned and Women-owned businesses! Join us in celebrating these four amazing businesses, we can’t wait to see where your growth takes you. A special shoutout to National Grid, Amplify LatinX, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc., and Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Inc. for working alongside us in advocating for our small businesses. Nancy Daniel | Angela Sison | Qingjian Shi | Paul Lee | Ed Sevilla | Irene Shiang Li | Ben Hires | Sophan S. | Nancy Daniel | Linda Suor | Angela Sison

The Khmer Business Meet & Greet Dinner on February 27, hosted by the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA) at the Olympic Restaurant in Lowell, brought together Khmer entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community partners for an evening of networking and knowledge-sharing. The event highlighted the remarkable growth of Khmer-owned businesses—one of the fastest-growing Asian ethnic entrepreneurial groups in Massachusetts—while also addressing ongoing challenges in accessing capital and resources. During the evening, we shared key insights from our research, emphasizing the economic contributions of AAPI businesses, as well as the need to strengthen financial and technical support systems to ensure business sustainability and growth. The gathering provided a vital space for storytelling, collaboration, and resource-sharing, reinforcing the power of community-driven efforts in fostering business growth. Attendees connected with organizations like ABEC, CMAA, MassDevelopment and local economic development institutions to explore opportunities for expanding networks and accessing essential support. Thank you to the CMAA team for organizing such an important gathering! Sothea Chiemruom | Geetha R. | Qingjian Shi

? We had the pleasure of celebrating with the Chinese Association of Western Massachusetts (CAWM) at their Lunar New Year Culture Festival in Northampton! Both ACF and ABEC were happy to take part as a vendor and meet small businesses, local residents, and community leaders. Thank you to CAWM for being fantastic hosts and for what you do for people of all ages in the region to experience a truly authentic Lunar New Year.

?? We are excited to feature another entrepreneur on our community series, AAPI Business Highlights. This month, we are featuring Praesidium Benefits founded by Adrianne Limjoco. ?? To learn more about them and the services they provide, please visit https://buff.ly/4i34n8K Do you want to be featured as our next AAPI Business Highlight? Fill out this form to let us know you’re interested! https://buff.ly/4kinNc3

We’re proud to share this exciting news: An ABEC business, Rosetta Languages, has been featured in Brazilian Magazine and the Malden Advocate announcing their participation in Eastern Bank Foundation’s “Business Growth Visibility Campaign”! This campaign is a cohort-based experience focusing on creating visibility and business opportunities to increase access to contracts and relationship building for diverse businesses. Rosetta Languages, founded by Danyal Najmi, provides interpretation services to non-profit, corporate, and government clients. “I’m honored to be included in this campaign and look forward to growing my business to connect more organizations and people with authentic interpretation services.” - Danyal Najmi, Brazilian Magazine To read more about this campaign and what Rosetta Languages is about, please visit https://buff.ly/4jQefVr and https://buff.ly/40ZjLft

?? Bring your coffee shop to Boston City Hall! The City of Boston is currently seeking a tenant to lease Boston City Hall’s third floor lobby coffee shop space. The City invites proposals from qualified local vendors interested in managing this retail space who will provide high-quality refreshments and offer a diverse menu featuring coffee, espresso, tea, and other non-alcoholic beverages and pre-packaged snacks, pastries, and sandwiches prepared off-site. The deadline to submit a proposal is Tuesday, February 11, 2025. ?? View the Request for Proposals and related documents at procurement.boston.gov #boston #requestforproposals #rfp #cityofboston #bostoncityhall?#coffeeshop

“At a time when the basic rights and well-being of hundreds of thousands of our neighbors are under assault, and each day brings renewed questions about the ability of our institutions to meet their commitments, we cannot afford to sit idly by,” - Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. In our efforts to stand in strong partnership with our nonprofit partners and communities, TBF will launch a $2 million special round of Safety Net Grants, to be awarded this spring to Greater Boston social service organizations that respond to the essential needs of marginalized communities and vulnerable residents. Applications for the grants will open on February 18th, stay tuned for more details on how to apply. Read the full announcement for more details on the special round: https://bit.ly/4hUZej5 We are also looking to our donor community to help us meet critical needs in an unprecedented time to expand the funds available for this and further rounds of the program. Organizations and individuals interested in contributing to the funds pool can visit https://bit.ly/3ECvhpR for more information.

???Last week, Asian Business Empowerment Council had the honor of being recognized as one of Boston’s Most Impactful Community-Based Organizations at the Get Konnected! Cultural Harmony Celebration. Thank you to Get Konnected! and their partnership with NAAAP Boston, Commonwealth Seminar, State Street, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Diaspora Massachusetts, Eastern Bank and The Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundationfor your leadership in highlighting the contribution of both AAPI and Black led organizations to Boston’s communities. ??A special shoutout to BAMS Fest, Inc., ASPIRE, Boston Ujima Project, Haitian Mental Health Network at William James College, and Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK) for all the work that you do for our communities!

Lawyers for Civil Rights BizGrow Winterfest is coming up! Register today to speak with a small business attorney for free! Once you register, LCR | BizGrow will contact you to schedule an appointment at a time that works for you on February 6.? Winterfest registration: https://lnkd.in/eE4868Bi More information about LCR | BizGrow: https://lnkd.in/ey3Qyzat

???Happy Lunar New Year! What better way to celebrate than with delicious food? ???Check out these 13 different AAPI-owned restaurants in Greater Boston with your friends and family to ring in the Year of the Snake! ???Did we miss any? Comment your favorite AAPI-owned restaurants below ??