Publisher’s Note
By Ronda Watson Barber
Ain’t I a Woman?
I help a lot of small businesses get certified. One question that I am always asked is why Black women can’t get an FBE certification with the City of Columbus. Columbus offers an MBE and FBE certification. It’s been 162 years, since Sojourner Truth, a Black woman who was an abolitionist and women’s rights activist, spoke at the Women’s Convention in Akron. She asked “Ain’t I a Woman?”
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?
According to the City of Columbus Unified Certification application, “Female Business Enterprise” (FBE) shall mean a business which is an independent and continuing operation for profit, performing a commercially useful function, and is owned and controlled by one or more females, U.S. citizens, of non-African-American descent.
The City of Cleveland describes “Female Business Enterprise” or “FBE” means a Business Enterprise owned, operated, and controlled by one or more Females who have 51% ownership. The one or more Females must have operational and managerial Control, interest in capital, and earnings commensurate with the percentage of Female ownership. To qualify as a Female Business Enterprise, the Business Enterprise shall be located and doing business in the Cleveland Contracting Market. Small business in Cleveland are eligible to select multiple classifications for their businesses.
Cincinnati certifies small businesses but not by race or gender. Businesses must meet certain net worth and gross revenues based on industry standards.
Black women are both women and minorities. We should be eligible to be certified based on this duality. In the State of Ohio, business can hold both EDGE and MBE certification. It is important that Black women have access to FBE certification, particularly when the City of Columbus issues the female business certification at no-cost. Black women business owners should not have to incur the expense of getting a certification with a national organization in order to be recognized as a woman. If FBE bid opportunities in either the public or private sector present themselves in Columbus, Black women are unable to participate.
Lack of access equals loss of opportunity.
Just my thoughts…rwb
