





Lifestyle magazine for the local Black community
February 12, 2019 by Las Vegas Black Image Magazine
Filed under Community
BY LOUIE OVERSTREET
Up in Alaska, during a Black History Month summit, I will be giving a plenary session speech and conducting a workshop on economic development.
The summit is being held in honor of recently-deceased Senator Bettye Davis’ purpose-filled life. Knowing Bettye as I did, the speech will be an “I got this” one. However, experience tells me that the greater challenge will be getting those in attendance interested in making a collective economic difference for persons that look like me.
With due modesty, Bettye, your boy and others were able to make a difference in Alaska history during the fourth quarter of the last century. Her achievements are too numerous to list here, so let just say she was a difference-maker.
Thus, the personal challenge before me will be to revisit where we left off more than two decades ago — when we were addressing the need for equitable participation in economic development. I can say with certitude that a similar need, to this very day, exists in Alaska. Nevada, too.
The approach needed to promote economic development is a simple as ABC, but it’s as hard to do as walking the walk after talking the talk! I can’t do anything about the latter, but I can list A, B, and C.
Now knowing the ABCs of talking, it’s time to do the walking. But be sure you have your required licenses, insurance — and most of all good tax records.