Side by side with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the country, we’re building stronger communities, growing resilient local economies, and creating a future where everyone thrives.

Chairman, B3 Business Council – West End Merchants Coalition

Haji Bakari Sillah is a visionary entrepreneur, AI strategist, and dedicated community leader serving as Chairman of the B3 Business Council under the West End Merchants Coalition. With a deep commitment to revitalizing Atlanta’s historic West End, Haji leads initiatives that bridge innovation and equity—empowering and supporting small businesses, preserving cultural legacies, and advocating for economic justice.

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATIONS


The Allapattah Collaborative CDC, (ACDC) is a 501(c)(3) place-based organization located in Miami’s Little Domingo Commercial Corridor.  ACDC’s mission is to build an Allapattah economy that works for everyone while preserving the neighborhood unique history and cultural heritage. They work diligently to foster wealth creation and cultural authenticity in marginalized immigrant enclaves.  In addition to mitigating climate gentrification pressures, the organization endeavors to rejuvenate the commercial corridors of Little Santo Domingo while pursuing its overarching mission of:

  1. Employing placemaking strategies to cultivate a sense of identity

  2. Supporting small businesses  by endorse strategies that promote wealth accumulation for marginalized communities of color.

  3. Promote policies and procedures that foster community development that is equitable, all-encompassing, and sustainable.

Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.Our network of more than 1,600 grassroots organizations and 46 State, County, and City-level Coordinating Programs are united by a commitment fostering strong local economies and enhancing the distinctive character that makes communities attractive to residents, visitors, and businesses.

TRUIST FOUNDATION

Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) aka Breaking Barriers to Business is a 4-year program designed to advance economic opportunity, support capacity building, and build wealth in communities of color, in neighborhood commercial districts.

The program, co-created with Living Cities, will focus on activating community-based organizations and local leaders to develop entrepreneurial ecosystems; address systemic gaps in access to capital; and provide technical assistance and resources to drive tangible change for business owners of color, prospective entrepreneurs, and their communities.

We are for Everyone

What we Believe


We believe B3 Business Council are for everyone. At the core of our approach to revitalization is a commitment to creating places of shared prosperity, equal access to opportunity, and inclusive engagement. B3 Business Council models and champions this vision through our actions and programs.

Creating Places of Shared Prosperity


A broad constituency of stakeholders — including residents, visitors, entrepreneurs and customers. As centers of economic and social opportunity, commercial districts impact the health and prosperity of all stakeholders, and thus they should be reflective of and in service to all members of the community.

Despite this, we know that barriers — direct and indirect, historic and current — have prevented this vision of full participation in communities and commercial districts from becoming a universal reality. From land-use policies to business finance practices, our systems have intentionally excluded marginalized groups while bolstering prosperity for those with power. And, many of the forces driving change on our Council today, especially rapid demographic shifts and technological innovations, are deepening existing inequities. This history, and our collective role in shaping the future of communities, positions our movement at the center of some of the most pressing issues in our society today: Who belongs? Who’s represented? Who thrives?

To fulfill our mission, we must recognize inequity and embrace change. The B3 Business Council Approach, with its emphasis on community engagement as a core element of district strategy, can offer a path forward. But creating places of shared prosperity, equal access, and inclusive engagement requires sustained commitment to education and action.

There’s important work for us to do to fully realize this vision. We’re excited to embark on taking next steps together and hear what you are doing to shape an inclusive future.

What We’re Doing

The staff of B3 Business Council recognize that first step towards our vision is prioritizing team training and development. We aim to share our learning and experience with the network, while inviting new voices to guide our work.

What You Can Do


Everyone who is part of the B3 Business Council movement can take an active role in shaping an inclusive future. No matter your background or experience, embracing change can create discomfort. Educating yourself and creating conversations around these important topics is essential.

Next Steps Together


Join the conversation. We encourage you to send us your feedback and use B3 Business Council member resources, including The Point, to share your approaches, resources and challenges.

Share your story. Great places happen due to a dedicated and diverse group of people. Make sure to share about the individuals and ideas that power your community across your communication channels.

Build your knowledge . It’s incumbent upon each of us to expand our understanding of ourselves and others. Check out the resources below to educate yourself and see a comprehensive set of anti-racist specific resources.


Sweet Auburn Works (SAW) is a 501(c)(3) place-based organization situated along the Auburn Avenue Corridor in Atlanta.  SAW employs the Main Street Approach in the manners outlined below.

Organization builds a pathway to leadership in local efforts by launching community based, volunteer driven nonprofit entities that empower residents and investors to collaborate for sustainable revitalization.

Promotion focuses on authentic community assets, with high quality image development campaigns and events that will attract new shoppers, visitors, and residents.

Design targets infrastructure and building improvements that lay the groundwork for physical transformation.

Economic Vitality redefines the district’s niche in the marketplace and sharpens the competitiveness of existing businesses.

The Cities

The impact of the pandemic on small business owners of color especially was, and still is, most severe in the Southest region on the United States. Leadership from cities, across the Southest were invited to apply for the opportunity to join the cohort - out of these, the following five were selected

Atlanta Georgia

Org/Corridors

Sweet Auburn Works, CDC

West End Merchant Association Grove Park Foundation

Charlotte North Carolina

Org/Corridors

Historic West End PartnershipWest Blvd Business  AssociationSugar Creek Business Association

Miami Florida


Org/Corridors

Allapattah Collaborative CDCOvertown Business Association

Memphis Tennessee

Org/Corridors

Respect the Haven, CDC Raleigh, CDC 

Klondike

Nashville Tennessee

Org/Corridors

North Nashville

Southeast Antioch

Wedgewood Houston

Theory of Change

Business serving agencies (BSAs) in local government and business serving organizations (BSOs) in commercial corridors of color have a direct role in making the entrepreneurial ecosystem, equitable. Living Cities (LC) and Main Street America (MSA), supported by Truist Foundation, believe that if we remove systemic barriers between BSAs and BSOs, then we can enable the acceleration of wealth-building among business owners of color in Southeast U.S. cities and corridors.

Stay up-to-date on our efforts

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