By Ronda Watson Barber
OhioMBE Publisher
There is a Columbus City School Board meeting tonight. Who will attend on behalf of the Columbus or Ohio NAACP? Will local civil rights attorneys show up and challenge the district on its supplier diversity practices?
For nearly a year and a half, President Nana Watson faithfully attended board meetings, holding elected officials accountable for their purchasing decisions. She confronted the board on its exclusionary practices, advocating for supplier diversity and encouraging Ohio’s largest public school district to buy local and reinvest tax dollars back into the community. She was a lone voice in the fight for equity.
Not one Black man, claiming leadership in the community, stood beside her in the trenches. Not one joined her in demanding economic inclusion publicly. She carried their water.
Now, with Watson absent from the fight, will Columbus City Schools get a pass? Without her oversight, will the district continue its pattern of approving contracts without Black businesses at the table?
Accountability doesn’t rest on one person’s shoulders—it requires a collective effort. The question remains: Who will step up? Who will fight for supplier diversity now?
just my thoughts…rwb
Ronda Watson Barber is a publisher, advocate, and entrepreneur dedicated to promoting Black businesses and supplier diversity. She is the founder of OhioMBE and works tirelessly to ensure economic opportunities for minority businesses in Ohio.
