Mayor Karen celebrates Women's Business Center Opening

On May 22, 2024, the opening of first federally recognized Women’s Business Center has been celebrated by Mayor Karen Bass in South Los Angeles. The center has been intended to assist small businesses start, grow and develop in the vicinity.

U.S. Small Business Administration’s Isabel Casillas Guzman also joined the mayor in order to spotlight the facility at the Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation. According to the mayor, if federal government and the city has strong partnership then it shall encourage more businesses to open in the city while also using resources that are available to them.

Mayor Karen stated, “I have worked with Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation for years and have seen firsthand the positive impact the organization is making for small businesses and their contributions to the South Los Angeles community. Together with VSEDC and organizations like it, we are working to open the city for business and make sure that City Hall is an advocate, not a barrier, to helping small businesses grow and thrive.”

Additionally, she added, “I want to thank the Small Business Administration and Administrator Guzman for the continued partnership and for awarding VSEDC with this significant, very well-deserved distinction.”

Mayor Karen has highlighted the LA Optimized 2.0 during the opening of the center. This is a program to aid small businesses to build and strengthen their digital presence which will benefit them in the future with better results. In addition, she also mentioned about a new online learning platform entitled ‘LApreneur’ which has been created to offer skills and information to entrepreneurs in order to thrive in the city.