DRAPER, Utah — The Utah Black Chamber of Commerce’s Mardi Gras in the Mountains celebration was fit for a Mardi Gras king or queen.
"We're both from a place that we know that having a good time is a priority, and why not in the mountains?” said Sidni Shorter, the president of the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce. “Utah is beautiful and why not capitalize on that? We have a perfect venue. We have a perfect backdrop that is all natural!"
Shorter, a Louisiana native, started Mardi Gras in the Mountains last year to celebrate the state's Black businesses.
The colors that represent the Southern tradition — purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power — are all qualities the Black Chamber champions.
"People often pause when I say ‘Utah Black Chamber of Commerce’ because it's as if we're not seen,” said Shorter. “But what I often say is that what you have to recognize more than numbers is impact, and we absolutely have an impact and are a critical component to the economic ecosystem of Utah, and we want others to recognize that."
That impact continues to be created by the people who gathered last week to celebrate.
Business sectors like arts, entertainment, and food and beverage were represented and voted on by their Chamber peers for the Black Excellence Awards.
Nikki Walker, the Chamber's public relations committee director, said providing these small businesses with resources isn't enough.
Recognizing their work is critical.
"Without supporting them, we are really taking away a lot of rich culture that is here for everybody,” said Walker. “I think it's important that we highlight Black businesses more than just during Black History Month, but that we highlight Black businesses because they are small business owners that have challenges that others may not."
Those are challenges the Chamber helps the businesses overcome.
A 2023 Intuit QuickBooks report shows that 57 percent of Black business owners were denied a bank loan at least once when they started their businesses compared to 37 percent of non-Black business owners.
On average, it costs Black entrepreneurs $5,000 more to start a business than their non-Black peers.
Walker realizes funding is a hurdle for many start-ups, but she says being in a business-minded landscape like Utah doesn't hurt.
"In a space like Utah where we have Silicon Slopes and we have all of these venture capitalists and people looking for the next best thing, this is the best place for people to launch a business — Black, white or otherwise," she said.
While Mardi Gras and Black History Month come but once a year, working to make these small businesses work is a year-round goal that benefits everyone.
"It's important that we understand and recognize that all businesses should have the opportunity to be a vital part of the economic ecosystem, and so that's a part of our work,” Shorter said. “That is what we do and that's what we're here for, but we're also not just looking at how they go about doing that work. We're also celebrating and elevating that because we do that — all chambers do that. For the first time, the Black Chamber is doing that and these businesses really deserve to have that elevation and that exposure."
If you want to become a member of the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce, visit their website here.
