In Memphis municipal policy, there’s no such thing as a Hispanic minority businessman - Tennessee

“Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic demographic and largest minority group in the United States. But, despite the fact that state and federal government recognizes Hispanics as a minority, the City of Memphis doesn’t see it that way.

The municipality’s minority and women business enterprise (MWBE) procurement program keeps Hispanic businessmen out of the running for government incentives by narrowly defining a minority as “those persons, citizens of the United States and lawfully admitted resident aliens, who are African American (persons whose origins are in one of the Black regional groups of Africa).” The MWBE ordinance was rewritten a few years ago to include women of any ethnicity. As a result, Hispanic-owned businesses are ineligible to bid as a minority-owned business on municipal projects like public schools, parking garages or the FedExForum. Members of the Hispanic business community are concerned that such a narrow definition could disenfranchise much of its entrepreneurial class. “

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