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As part of the Economic Development Day celebration organized by GSBA, a landmark event took place on May 22 at the Amazon Arizona Building, where the official launch of the Washington Minority Business Coalition (WMBC) was announced. The event brought together prominent figures from the business and government sectors, including Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and Roby Schapira, Senior Vice President at Wells Fargo.
The coalition was formed by the leadership of the following individuals and their organizations: Marcos Wanless, President of the Latino Chambers of Commerce of Seattle and Tacoma; Ilona Lohrey, President and CEO of GSBA; Shanon Yop, President of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Washington; and Samantha Lee, President and CEO of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce. United by their commitment to building a more equitable economy, they collaborated to bring this new organization to life.
The mission of WMBC is to empower businesses that belong to minority associations by promoting economic equity and advocating for their rights. Its goal is to ensure these communities have fair access to opportunities that have historically been reserved primarily for the white population—ensuring that no one is left behind in the state’s economic growth.
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