NEW ORLEANS – With small business at the center of New Orleans’ future, veteran WDSU news anchor Gina Swanson moderated the “Small Business IS Economic Development” Mayoral Forum on Sept. 11 at Propeller.
State Senator Royce Duplessis (Dist. 5) and City Councilmember Oliver Thomas (Dist. E) responded to questions posed by Swanson based on concerns gathered from local business owners and support organizations in the two months leading up to the event. City Councilmember Helena Moreno, at-large, was invited but did not attend.
Hosted by the New Orleans Entrepreneur Support Ecosystem Coalition, the forum gave candidates a platform to address entrepreneurs and small business owners, which organizers described as the backbone of the city’s culture and economy, and outline their approaches to growth, equity, and opportunity.
Dasjon Jordan, executive director of Broad Community Connections and a member of the organizing committee, said the discussion was built around six priority areas: procurement, place-based development, city services and utilities, resilience and disaster preparedness, zoning and permitting, and small business resources and access to capital.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They are job creators, innovators, and anchors in our neighborhoods driving local spending and building community wealth,” said Jessica Allen, CEO of Propeller. “After Katrina, our entrepreneurship rate spiked and today it remains high – about 35% higher than the national average and 29% higher than other large, metro areas.”
Candidates: Infrastructure, Equity, & Support for Entrepreneurs
Both candidates spoke about the city’s challenges with infrastructure and economic equity.
“As the former host of the Good Morning Show, I was the first person to unveil the Data Center report on wealth and wealth disparity,” said Thomas. “We cannot be successful without the people in this room who will determine whether we close the wealth gap.”
He noted that African American children are poorer post-Katrina than they were before the storm, despite an influx of aid. “We had $71 billion of FEMA money come here, in a small, glorious, grimy city like this – how is your dominant population poorer than it was before? African American women lead in start-ups, but we don’t look at the fine print that says 6 months later they don’t have resources to stay up,” said Thomas.
When asked about the condition of roads in the city, Duplessis said it’s not just about infrastructure. “It’s a public safety issue. It’s the perception that we have of ourselves and how we manage the City.” He pledged to establish a coordination department with representatives from the Sewerage and Water Board, Public Works, Entergy, Cox, and other utilities to meet twice per week and align projects.
Thomas added that his campaign theme is “A City that Works.” “You can’t have a city that works with potholes and bad streets that mean you can’t get to work,” he said.
The candidates also addressed digital access in underserved neighborhoods and the limited capacity of the city’s economic development department, which has only seven staff members.
Thomas highlighted the lack of participation in federal relief programs. “Four out of five African American businesses did not apply for PPP loans,” he said, referring to the Paycheck Protection Program established under the federal CARES Act to help small businesses retain employees during the pandemic. “Let’s educate small businesses and entrepreneurs about what is accessible.” He argued that the city’s economic development office should play a stronger role in disseminating such information.
Duplessis emphasized collaboration and support. “The city has to be the convener, the leader, working in partnership with banks, nonprofits and small businesses,” he said. “I want to create a business navigator program helping small businesses navigate all of the challenges they face in City Hall, from permitting to land use and zoning. I also want to create a revolving loan fund.”
About the Organizers
The New Orleans Small Business Ecosystem Mayoral Forum was led by a nonpartisan network of organizations committed to building a thriving and equitable business environment in the city. Through advocacy, resource-sharing, and community-driven solutions, the coalition works to strengthen the foundation of New Orleans’ small business economy while increasing civic engagement.
Participating organizations include Propeller, Broad Community Connections, ThriveNOLA, NewCorp, El Centro, Fund 17, StayLocal, The Collaborative, New Orleans Black Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, Sankofa Community Development Corporation, The LA Chamber Foundation/Goldman Sachs, Louisiana Small Business Development Center, Oretha Castle Haley Merchants & Business Association, Old Algiers Main Street, Broad Street Business Association, Bayou Road Business Association, NO East Business Alliance, South Broad Business Coalition, Cooperation New Orleans, and the Greater New Orleans East Business Alliance.
