Barãta Bey: President African American Chamber of Commerce of Western, PA Shares Mission of the Organization, and Its Latest Accomplishments to Enhance Business Growth

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender. All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone, welcome to the show. This is Joyce Bender on Disability Matters. So excited to be with you as we are celebrating Black History Month. And that is important to me because, you know, whether you have a disability, no matter what minority group you represent, it's all about equal rights. And you can't have equal rights if you don't talk about it and talk about the month where we are honoring someone, whether it's people with disabilities or women. So I'm very excited about our show today. But first, I have to thank the 170 countries listening to the show. Wow. Do you remember when I used to say 14? I used to say, we have 14 countries with listeners. Things have really taken off. And so I want to thank you because how could this happen without you? And specifically Singapore, you are in the top 2, meaning after the United States as the country with the largest listening audience. Thank you. Thank you. You know, no matter what country you're in, even if you're one person, one person can make a difference. All you have to do is tell about this show or send the podcast. You know, there are, with the State Department, there are American embassies in every country. So if you want to go talk to them about how you can get this show out, I have been to Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Panama, all across Asia. And that may be why, now that I think about it, that I am very well known in Asia. But no matter where you are, one person can make a difference. So don't underestimate that power. Then to my great listeners in the United States and the Americas, wow. You are just awesome. Really awesome. Yeah, I love you. Here, I'm doing that here. See, I love you so much. To all my listeners, you are so great, great followers. Keep in touch with me. Couldn't say enough about you. And to our sponsor, Highmark. Highmark. I always say Highmark sets the high mark for other companies to follow. Yes, they have been the lead sponsor for years of this radio show. So I just admire them so much. And hey, Yoshiko Dart, I will not forget you. Yoshiko is the widow of the late, great Justin Dart. And Yoshiko, I found something in the mail. Let me see if I have it. Right here. I believe I do have it here. Let me see. Well, before I spend all this time and then don't find it, I'm gonna tell you all what it is. It's a picture of Justin, and Yoshiko wrote on the back of it. Yoshiko, that was like 3 years ago, maybe. And you know, Justin Dart was the great, great general of the entire ADA unification to get the X sign. So always have to remember Yoshiko Dart. So as I said, we are celebrating Black History Month and could not do that without having our own President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA. As you all remember, I'm headquartered in Pittsburgh. Yes, best city in America. And in addition to that, you all know I live with epilepsy, but I am just so honored to be a member of the Chamber. So, Barata Bey, welcome to the show.

Thank you, Joyce, and thank your listeners for having me.

Well, it is such a pleasure, uh, to have you, and you are a recurring guest, so it's great to have you on again. But I am excited to hear what is happening at the chamber, like what's happening at the African American Chamber of Commerce. Right here in Western PA.

Yeah, so, uh, what a way to start it off. There's been a lot going on, and as I'm sure your listeners know, uh, are aware around, especially around the world, as they sit back and they watch the daily news of what's happening here in the United States, uh, there's a lot. And, uh, there's a lot of challenges that we're faced with now, and that's not, that's not missed by the small business community, especially the African-American and minority small business owners. And also my small business owners for that sake. So some of the things that, uh, the chamber— some of the changes that we went through, uh, we have become more efficient, uh, and when I say that, I'm talking about deploying technology. So we've become, uh, AI-based in a lot of our platforms. So our website now has, uh, some elements of AI that communicates with our back systems. So with our CRM systems, tracking membership checking the database. A lot of that's done by AI now, making us a little more cost efficient, a little more modern. And some of the other things that we're really proud of is that in 2026, we are working with the University of Pittsburgh to bring in some interns to really help us build out our, our strategy around how we deploy the AI technology that we have in place currently to make us a little more efficient in making sure that we're compliant. Because as you know, Joyce Bender and your listeners know, technology is rapidly changing. And as you are implementing something into an organization like the Chamber, as soon as you get it implemented and as soon as you think you got your head wrapped around it, unfortunately it changes night and day and you spend more time staying up to date on the technology that you kind of forget about the policy side of it. So we want to make sure that we're getting some help. So we have some of the the brightest brains coming in from the University of Pittsburgh to help us figure that out. I'm also working with Carnegie Mellon University to roll out some additional AI platforms that, that some thoughts that I have in my head that they're going to help me extract and we're going to put some code to it and make it tangible, something that we're going to help. Hopefully it helps the members, it helps our corporates when they're trying to source opportunities for members that are a good fit for the organization. Hopefully this technology that we're going to be building will close that gap for us. So we're pretty excited about that. And then additionally, one of the other things that we're really proud about is that we've been working on this all of 2025 and we are proud to say that in November of 2025, we rolled out our first very cohort. It's, we call it the, basically the cohort is a 3-year program It consists of 12 businesses, very diverse in their industries, varying sizes, but the program is a 3-year program and it's designed to really help small businesses scale, really creating job opportunities for those living in our communities where they're based. And we also done the work with the Bookings and Gallup organizations to really help us get into the research and the data. And we found that By doing this cohort and helping small businesses create jobs, it will have— it could have a 35% increase to their revenue per position. So we're really excited about this cohort. It's been going strong and the support has come from the Heinz Foundation. They've really gotten behind us and provided the funding to, to really make this happen. And you also mentioned, Joyce Bender, in the beginning you want to thank Highmark for sponsoring the show. Highmark is, is also a phenomenal supporter and sponsor of the African American Chamber as well. So I'd like to give them a shout out and thank them for their continued support.

Yeah, I know they are. I'm— and I know the prior CEO, Doris Carson Williams, uh, was on their board until very recently, but I know the Chamber has a longstanding relationship with Highmark, which is so great. You know that program you were just talking about with those core cohorts? So you're going to be bringing in these interns from Pitt, and who is going to be managing them?

Yeah, so this, uh, it's be a great program. So there's going to be— not only are they going to help us kind of build out some programming around our social media and our AI that we currently have in place. But there's going to be a component of mentorship. So I will take on a mentorship, making sure that we help them understanding what it takes to be a professional. But again, with the day-to-day operations, it'll be a joint effort between Sean Hicks, who's Chief Operating Officer, and me as well. So between the two of us, we're going to make sure that, that these students have not just coming in and providing us with resources that we need, but hopefully that they get a lot of it as well.

Yeah, that's wonderful. Wow, what a great opportunity both ways. What a great opportunity. So, Barada, are you from Western Pennsylvania, and where did you go to school?

Yes, I am originally a product of Western Pennsylvania. I was born in Sewickley, and then I ended up graduating from Wilkinsburg High School back in '86. And so that's my, that's my story. So I have a lot of roots and a lot of connection to this region.

Oh, that's great. And then you obviously came back here.

Yeah, you know, my path has been an interesting one. I've often been tapped into to help people who are trying to figure out how to reinvent themselves. I've done that multiple times without really realizing what I was doing, but I've served in several different industries after my stint for 5 and a half years in the military serving in the Army. I got out, I came back, and I enrolled at Penn State. But while I was in school, I had several jobs. I sold industrialized water purification systems. I did that for a little while. I worked in the medical field. I then landed with Passavant Memorial Homes hitting up their residential program for individuals with disabilities. I ran two of their adult training facilities. I did that for a little stint, and then I found myself myself into higher ed, uh, working for, uh, community college. Uh, I worked for, uh, CCAC, uh, Community College of Allegheny County as, uh, an accountant. And then I found my way into the student finance office. And then I worked for, uh, proprietary education, opening up student finance offices and business offices for them for a while before I landed into banking. I was in banking for about, wow, probably about almost 9 years, 11 years close to. And then the last 2 years prior to coming to the Chamber, I worked in the fintech space. I was the Director of Community Finance for North America for fintech called CNote based out of LA. I did that for 2 years before I was tapped to come to run the Chamber.

Wow, what a great background you have. And I may say a diversified background so that that would give you great experience now that you're working with all different small businesses working in different verticals. So that, that is really a great background that, that you have. I wanted to ask you two questions. First, how hard was it for you moving from banking and the other job you just talked about to working in this field?

Yeah, you know, I often think about that in the transitioning from the bankers— banking sector. It may seem like it was a leap, but it really wasn't. You know, when I worked for the bank, you know, my core mission was around economic empowerment. I served as the community development officer for some of the large banks. And prior to that, I was in a retail space for a short period of time, about a year and a half before they tapped me for my talents to go and run community development. So in that space, you know, there's a lot of focus around, you know, it's banking, so you're always worried, focusing on capital, right, and opportunities and so forth. But with the community development, from that lens, you see it a little different. It's just not about the percentages and the numbers and capital. It's about taking the bank's capital and deploying it into the communities to help local communities thrive, help cities thrive, and help a region thrive. And so as community community development officer, I was always in a unique position that I was taking the resources from the bank and deploying them into the community to help the communities thrive, helping small businesses, helping home ownership and everything that had to do with community development. Uh, so I was always blessed to be in that. So making the transition and coming into running the chamber, ironically, when I was working as community development officer, I spent a lot of time in a space with microlenders, community development financial institutions, and working with chambers to help them and their members get opportunities to capital, opportunities for, uh, uh, their other products and services that they may need if it was a line of credit, if it was a business credit card. So helping them with that, and now I find myself leading the chamber. It's a little different rather than just providing resources. I'm now the one sourcing those opportunities, closing the gaps, prevent— creating opportunity for our small businesses to get connected to corporates and vice versa. And coming with a community development lens, how does that ecosystem all work together, right? In unison. And so it's just not small business, it's about how do we help this ecosystem be healthy, thrive, and continue to move forward to so that everyone has parity. Within it.

Yeah, really, um, a expertise in building entrepreneurs. I mean, it's more than, as you said, what it was before. Now you're connecting these entrepreneurs to business opportunities, the small businesses. So that, that is really, uh, that's really awesome. So, um, You alluded to this earlier, but I have to ask you, how are you weathering through this difficult climate that many people are weathering right now?

Yeah, it's difficult because, you know, Joyce Bender, you know, as a member of the Chamber, we are diverse. We have African American, we have Caucasian, we have LGBTQ, Black business owners, we have Asian business owners. So every one of the members are impacted some way, shape, or form. And for each of those groups, it looks a little different and it feels a little different. But being the head of this organization and representing all of them from advocacy, I spend a lot of time in Harrisburg, in DC, really being the voice advocating for small businesses from many fronts. You know, they all have their unique challenges that this particular environment is creating for them. So it's a burden sometimes, you know, to take that on in the sense that, you know, you're dealing with so many different individuals that are experiencing this differently and to absorb that and then try to help everyone, it's a lot. You know, it's a lot. It's a burden that I welcome. I take the responsibility and I feel honored to be in a position to try to make a difference. And so I spend a lot of my time, you know, when I'm at home by myself, you know, I have to watch the news because I have to be up on what's happening, how things are changing, and then decipher that to interpret that on how it's going to impact our small business community. And then Thinking about that, how can I come up with solutions in programming that's going to help mitigate some of these challenges that our business owners and members are dealing with? And then sourcing the right partners to help us navigate through these difficult times. And so it's a lot, but you know, when I'm away from those moments where I'm alone and you're alone with your thoughts, when I go out to the office and I'm working with partners and I'm in the community and I'm talking to our members, I feel energized and I feel so excited about doing this work, even though sometimes elements of the work is, I wish that I didn't have to focus on, I wish that things were different, but the reality is it is what it is. And so I take great pride in making sure that I'm focusing in coming up with the best solutions to help bridge a lot of these challenges that our members are facing.

Yeah, because when people say to me, oh, you know, things are terrible and I'm not getting anywhere and I've just almost given up, I say, oh, too bad, because that opens a door for those that aren't giving up. That's right. You know, what you have to do here is move forward. No matter what, you have to move forward. I tell all small businesses, Get out of your mind, you know, no paralysis, move forward and communicate. We all have to be there for each other. You know, I have to call Barata and say, hey, Barata, this is what they're doing with the African community in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, or New York, whatever it is, something I think would help him, or here's a foundation I think would want to work with you.. And Bharata has to call me and say, "Hey Joyce, this company's hiring people. I think they would consider people with disabilities." But we all have to do that. We all have to communicate. I'm very blessed because we are moving forward and finding jobs for people. I'm very thankful for that. But I am following my own advice, which is Keep moving. Keep moving and keep communicating. This is a time I tell people, all silos down. None of this, I can't help them because then I'm going to miss out on money from here. And none of that. Silos down. That's the way we have to be right now. And I know you are. And when I looked at this, your mission and vision. I saw that Business Institute. Is that what you were referring to earlier, or is that something different?

No. So the Business Institute, just for your listeners, so the Chamber is a 501, but we also have a foundation arm of the Chamber, which is our Business Institute. Which is a 501. And so that allows us to function and partner with corporations, foundations. We run all of our programming out of the Business Institute. And so it's a very important component of the chamber allowing us to do the things that we're doing. And so this, the cohort that we're running in partner with, with a great organization called Entrepreneurs Forever. They are the facilitators really doing the hands-on and helping developing and delivering the curriculum for these small businesses. In partnering with them, that's all housed in our Business Institute. And so we're able to foster a lot of support through the Business Institute. Our mentoring and coaching program is through the Business Institute as well. So that's our, that's our, that's the main hub of everything that we do, which is through that Business Institute.

And that's what it's all about. Bottom line, investment, helping the businesses. As a matter of fact, I wonder when you talk to large corporations or anyone listening to the show right now, what do you tell them is the benefit of joining the chamber?

Yeah, so I, I always tell our large corporate partners this. It's real simple. Like everyone has a need. Uh, right. Each organization has their individual needs that they, that they have to reach outwards to get that support to be able to accomplish that. Um, so I tell them that by partnering with the Chamber, you're streamlining that process. You get a direct line to all these businesses that are capable of coming in and adding diversity to their network, but also getting them connected to businesses that they probably didn't even know about that's in their own backyard. And so it's a direct pipeline to those businesses, to those resources. But then also, not only that, it's a great way— a lot of, a lot of the corporations in Western Pennsylvania, we're blessed to have them, uh, like Highmark. They really do believe in giving back, in supporting. And so by joining the chamber, we're also helping them. We're providing that ROI for them to find meaningful ways to get connected and give back to the community.. So if they have an interest around small business, but let's say use Highmark as an example, they're in the healthcare industry, right? They have social determinants of health that they're really worried about, things like that. And under that umbrella, there's workforce development, there's housing, there's small business and so forth. So we're providing them an avenue that gets them directly connected, indirectly with small businesses. So the resources, the monetary resources that they provide to us that allow us to leverage and facilitate these programs is having a direct impact on these small businesses, making these small businesses healthier so that when they're at a position to where they can now manage a larger project like Allegheny Health or Highmark may have, there's that connection. It pays right back into the system, helping them be more profitable, helping the community as a whole, and strengthening and enriching the ecosystem that we're trying to build.

Yes, and I, I think this is so important. You know, African American Chamber of Commerce, of course it's wonderful for you to do the right thing and contribute. But I also want to tell you, you're contributing to an organization that will benefit you and can help you. And if you're a small business, oh my goodness, this Mr. Barata Bey, he's got it going on. He's going to be able to help you immensely. But if you don't reach out, not going to happen. So, Baratunde, I'm going to do this again, but taking a moment. If you're listening to the show right now, how do you make a donation?

Yeah. So the best way is you can go to our website, which is aaccwp, for African American Chamber of Western Pennsylvania, .com, and you can make a donation directly that way, or you can call us. We love to talk to folks. We really love to talk to folks because It's also learning about what they're seeing in their region because we cover 10 counties. So they can call us directly at 412-362— oh, wait a minute, I'm drawing a blank on that number. I'm so sorry. But yeah, they can reach out through the website or they can call us directly and we'll be able to provide that information. So they can reach us at 412-392-0610. That's the correct number, and that will go directly to our receptionist that will direct the call either to me or Sean Hicks, or they can leave a message and explain why they're inquiring with the chamber, and we'll get back with them promptly about just answering any questions they may have.

And if they want to reach out to you through the website, they could do that also. They can do that also.

Yes, they can even send me an email directly, uh, and the email is my first name, B-A-R-A-T-A, at aaccwp.com.

You got it. One more time, let's hear that website and your email one more time.

The website is aaccwp.com. Aaccwp.com, and my email is barata@aaccwp.com.

Okay, well, with that, and I hope you'll take time to go to that page, make a donation. Remember what I said, we're all in this together. And remember, you can be African American and have a disability. Trust me, it's— that is the way it is. And I will also tell all of you listening throughout, you know, the Americas, throughout the world, that all the time the Chamber all these years supported me and supported the mission of employing people with disabilities. And Bharata is the same way. So I just want everyone to know that. And right now we're going to go to break and then we'll be back. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at voiceamerica.com. Don't go away, we'll be right back with Bharata Bey.

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You're listening to Disability Matters. Now please welcome back the host of Disability Matters. Here's Joyce Bender.

Hey everyone, welcome to the show. We're having a great show today with Barata Bey, the CEO and president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA, and he is just the most wonderful person. He really is. We're so lucky to have him right here in Pittsburgh. But as you know, it's time for our news break, and we have our news anchor, Ms. Jennifer Mathis. Mathis on the mic. Jennifer Mathis, what news do you have for us today?

So I want to give an update to folks about something that we talked about last week on the news. Um, last week I had mentioned that there was a new version of the lawsuit that Texas and what was originally 16 other states had filed challenging the regulation that HHS, the federal Department of Health and Human Services, had issued toward the end of the last administration in 2024, um, under what's called Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which is a law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. This piece of it is prohibiting discrimination in— by entities or programs and activities that get federal funding from HHS. So the— originally the lawsuit had challenged all of 504 and had said that the whole law is unconstitutional and should be struck down and that the regulation that HHS did was unlawful and should be struck down. And since that time, there has been a lot of negotiating that has happened. And HHS had recently done a rule that slightly— well, it made certain changes to, to their rule, or its proposed changes, and that has led half of the states to drop out of this lawsuit. But on January 23rd, um, Texas and 8 other states had filed an— what's called an amended complaint, a new version of the lawsuit that is still asking for a court to strike down the whole rule. But this time the lawsuit is entirely focused on what's called the integration mandate, the requirement that covered entities under this rule administer their services to people with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate. And Texas is saying that that's unlawful. The Supreme Court, of course, had decided the Olmstead case in 1999 which actually really gave life to the integration mandate, but they have— Texas has a very narrow interpretation of it, and it would— Texas is saying that the requirement that covered entities administer their services in the most integrated setting appropriate is unlawful, and the part of the reg that talks about placing people at serious risk of institutionalization also being a potential violation of the law, that that's unlawful. And so essentially they're really getting at the core of the integration mandate. The integration mandate is one of the most important rights that we have to have people with disabilities not be unnecessarily segregated, shut away in institutions. And this is really kind of, you know, one of the most fundamental rights in 504 and under the ADA. And so I think when we talked last week, I had talked about this and I said there's a statement coming and take a look out for it. So I wanted to just provide an update that that statement is now, you can find it on a lot of websites, but you can find it on the Bazelon Center's website. That is my organization. It's bazelon.org. It's right there on the homepage. You can find it on DREDF's website, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund's website too. Um, the statement is from The Arc, the Bazelon Center, the Center for Public Representation, DREDF, Justice in Aging, and National Health Law Program, and it lays out what's happening, and it directs you to DREDF's website has a page about how to contact your governor, your attorney general, if you're in one of those states. That is challenging this rule and challenging the integration mandate. And so they give you the contact information, who the attorney general is and how to contact them. And if you are in one of these states, and I'll list them, then if you care about this, reach out to your state attorney general and the governor to say, please stop attacking the integration mandate. Those states are Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota. And if you go to dreadf.org, they have a section on their website where you can just click on it right on their homepage and it will take you to the page which tells you how to contact your attorney general.

All right, that is great. I just want to say it seems like we made a little progress.

Well, we had made progress in the— there were 8 states that dropped out of this lawsuit, which is a big deal. Um, that's because of the other things that HHS has already done. But that was not enough for Texas and the states that are still on there.

Well, that's good. Why I'm saying that everyone everywhere, you've got to go out there and contact your senator or your congressman. As I've told you before, you may not think those calls make a difference, but they do. They do make a difference. And so pick up that phone. Don't sit back. Pick up that phone and make that call. Jennifer and I for years talked about, oh my God, We're worried it's heading toward institutionalization for people with mental health disabilities. That would be horrific. So, you know, there is no, oh, I don't have to worry about that. You have to worry about everything. So I would say make that phone call, make that phone call. And Jennifer, do you agree with that?

You are right, Joyce. And I talked about contacting the attorneys general and the governors, But you're right also about contacting your members of Congress because that can only help. And they can also, they should know that if their state is challenging the integration mandate and they can put pressure on the state as well.

And if you are wanting to read more about this, remember, Bazelon.org. The information is out there as it is on DREDF, D-R-E-D-F dot O-R-G. And our Jennifer is a senior person right at Bazelon. So make sure you check out Bazelon, B-A-Z-E-L-O-N dot O-R-G. And Mathis on the mic, thank you so much. We'll look forward to hearing from you next week.

Okay, see you next week.

Thank you. Bye-bye, talk to you then. Yeah, Marata, we have a news, uh, spot every show. We're the only place that has this news spot about what's happening nationally in the disability community, and we're so lucky to have Jennifer Mathis because she is a real national powerhouse. So thrilled to have her on. Joyce Bender: I wanted to talk to you about the cost for a large and small organization. Is there a difference? What— how does that work?

Yeah, so the— that's a great question. So the Chamber has several different tiers, but we make it so that it's inviting to everyone that wants to participate. So we have the self-employed, the individual that doesn't— it's just launching their business. They may be still operating out of their living room, out of their garage, or out of the back of a car. Uh, that membership is $200. And then we have small businesses that basically— that has $200,000 to $2 million in revenue. Their membership is about $300. And then we also have supporting membership. Uh, that's majority of small businesses. That's $300. And then we have Associated, which is for nonprofits. That's again $500. And then we have the Chairman's Circle. That's, that's, that's about $1,250. And then we have financial institutions. We have a lot of financial institutions that are members. For them, it's about $3,000 if they're under $500 million in assets. And for financial institutions that are above that, it's $5,000. And then we have corporate sponsorships. We get into the sponsorships, uh, that's $5,000, and then we have the Presidential Roundtable, which is $10,000. So it, it, we have something for every business, uh, at whatever size they are, or for those organizations that, uh, like nonprofits that still are businesses. We're trying to get them to understand that, that they still need the support, uh, of a chamber as well. So, uh, we have a space for them as well.

Right, because I'll never forget when the CEO— when I was the national chair of the Epilepsy Foundation and we got this huge grant in, it was like $9 million. And he said, you know, we got this grant and it was restricted for this restricted fund. He said, but I have to get enough money in to turn on the coffee. And what he meant, of course, you can get all this money, and if it's all restricted, well, that's not for the operations of the organization. And I like what Bharata said about sometimes people don't realize that it is a business, and that's true. I don't care what it— not-for-profit, you still have to have, you know, more, more money than what you're spending. I mean, it's still a group where you have to have your financial report. You still have to have money. So I know a lot of people need to think differently about that. And I wanted to talk to you about when you meet with small businesses, or anyone listening to the show now, as you said, whether that one person, uh, working out of their house or a midsize small business, what do you say to them as far as what you can do for them?

Yeah, so that's a great question. And, uh, a lot of times they'll ask me that, like, you know, what's the benefits of joining the chamber? So we can go down about the networking, about the opportunity to get connected to corporate procurement processes and things of that nature, but I also like to put it back on them because it is a mindset of, you know, what you put into it is what you get out of it. And at the end of the day, the chamber belongs to the members. So I spend a lot of time, you know, wanting to understand their business a little more. So I will go out and do a house call. I have no problem with jumping in my car and actually going to see the business because, you know, I've been at this for a long time, and one thing that I understand, the success of a business is a lot of things than just sales. It's about your culture. You know, if you don't have a healthy culture, then your business is not functioning the way it should be. It's about your expenditures, like where your— where's your dollars going? What do you see as a priority? So understanding, taking a peek underneath the hood, so to speak, to understand how they're operating, what their culture is like, understanding, getting to know the staff members, the team members a little better. To help them identify if they got the right people in the right seats. Right. So, you know, understanding that and then having that, that conversation about, you know, what are your pain points? What are the things that, that you're having challenges with? And Joyce Bender, what I will say in having that conversation, I'm also— I got an ear for listening for what they don't say because that's going to identify the things that they don't know. A lot of times small business owners don't know what they don't know. And that could be, that could be a troublesome place to be. And so I try to listen for that. To try to identify those things that I feel they should be asking me about, but they're not. And then I can explore to see what level of understanding they have of that. And if it's not where it should be, then that's a great starting point. Let's focus on the things that you aren't asking me because they're going to come back and bite you in a worse way.

Oh, yeah. And don't do that because you're not— what's the point? You know, you're not helping yourself. If you don't think about what do I need, where can I get help? And I assume, Barata, that one of the ways you help them is just connecting them throughout the community to opportunities.

That's exactly it. So for me, it's all about— I operate on the premise of ecosystems, right? And so the needs that these small businesses have, especially in this climate, you know, where, you know, we've unfortunately seen where there's been attack on diversity, equity, inclusion. It's been made to be a bad thing. And so a lot of times corporations have to rethink about how they talk about that. And so, you know, for us, I'm telling the small business owners that you're, you're part of a unique network. We have over 681+ members, all very different industries, all doing different things. They're at different scales. Some are in 5 countries, got patents, some are operating at a recards. But needless to say, this is what I'm trying to get to, is that whatever that business needs, there is another business in the network that can provide that for them, and then vice versa. So there's a, there's a robust ecosystem that they could tap into. And, and if you're not getting that big corporation contract, uh, you know what, there's enough business within the network to keep everyone afloat.

Ah, that is so good. And by the way, you're listening to Mr. Barata Bey. The president and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA. If you don't know him, you should. So, Barada, I always think about— you're so poised. You know, you're just so professional and yet— and kind. And yet you're a force to be reckoned with. So you had to be influenced to be like that, uh, either that or you have someone in history that you really admired greatly. So my question is, who is your role model?

Well, I have so many role models, uh, from my time in the military working with, uh, Colonel James E. Shang Jr., uh, who was being promoted to a brigadier general, uh, He was a big influencer on how I think and how I carry and conduct myself. He was a man of 5'7" but a full bird colonel getting ready to become a brigadier general and just the respect that he demanded because he was always precise, but he always treated people so fairly. He was one. Martin Luther King Jr. is always a big one. Thurgood Marshall, was another big influence. W.E.D. Du Bois, uh, they were such influences because, uh, in my life that it encouraged me to go and join the same fraternity that all three of the last that I mentioned were a part of, which is the great fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. I'm a member of that fraternity because these men, I just looked up to them, that how they, they were poised, they, they stayed focused, they stayed the course, and they fought the good fight through some very difficult times.

Yeah, well, you certainly have good role models there. Yeah, and that's really neat you did that, that you went to those same schools. That's awesome. Well, Barada, how can we help you? We have listeners throughout the country, around the world. What can we do to help you?

I would say, you know, just, you know, identifying businesses because even though we're in Western Pennsylvania, we're doing some things that are very unique in how we're deploying AI things of that nature. I would say the biggest support is that, you know, monetary support is always great because we're a membership-based organization. We don't build or sell anything, but, you know, that type of support is always welcome. But for me, it's also about word of mouth. If you identify a small business or a nonprofit organization that is struggling but yet plays a key role in the community that you're in and they need some assistance, have them reach out because I am all about sharing what the things that I've learned over my career making sure that other organizations are healthy and doing well, because at the end of the day, our society depends on these organizations to help everybody. You know, we need to lift everybody up. And there's so much work to be done out there that no one organization can do it alone. You know that old adage that it takes a village? It really does. It takes everyone. You said it, Joyce Bender, in the beginning where you said this is not a time to be operating in a silo, right? And so I truly believe in that. So I think the biggest thing is supporting the chamber and getting the word out there, making sure that if you find an organization that's in your neck of the woods that is struggling, the chamber is a resource. I've been privileged to work across most of the cities in this country, and I understand what they're going through. So I can provide some type of resources and help, even if it's just advice in giving an ear and helping them navigate through a challenge that they have. Just get that word out. Let them know that the Chamber is a friend and they can always call even though we're based in Pittsburgh. I'm willing to help and spread the word. Just let them know the Chamber's here, the work that we're doing. Share the website, you know, say positive things. Just word of mouth goes a long way. We're just, we're growing. We're one of the fastest growing chambers in Western Pennsylvania. When I came on board, we were 642. We are now 681+ members and we're growing. Yeah, good. So I just want that growth because that growth represents the fact that people are identifying that they need help and they see us as a valuable resource to help them with that.

So, okay. And we're— we've been talking to Barada Bey, President, CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western PA. One other thing I will suggest. If you go to Spotify, Apple, Amazon, almost every social media platform, you are able to listen to this show. In other words, you could grab that show and get the posting and send it to someone else. So if you're listening and you're thinking, oh, I wish so-and-so had heard this show, Do what I say. Go to one of those media, social media platforms such as Amazon, Apple, voiceamerica.com, and Spotify. But also, of course, go to YouTube, which is where the show is housed. And that way you'll see this wonderfully handsome leader of the African American Chamber of Commerce. Well, brother, thank you again. We are with you. We're behind you, and appreciate everything you're doing for this city. And we end every show with a quote. So today that quote is, "Alone I cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone." "Throw a stone across the water to create ripples," said Mother Teresa. This is Joyce Bender, America's Voice, where disability matters, at voiceamerica.com. And in the words of Mary Brooker, when you get up tomorrow and you have to make a choice, choose joy. Talk to everyone next week.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific time and 2 PM Eastern time for another installment of Disability Matters right here on the Voice America variety channel. We are the leader in live internet talk radio. VoiceAmerica.com.