The odds are stacked against Black-owned businesses from the beginning. A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York says they’re almost twice as likely to fail than others. They face hurdles like increasing gentrification, which causes higher rents, and a lack of access to financing.
The pandemic made the situation even worse. But now, as the city reopens, a group of Black-owned businesses in Crown Heights is bucking that trend. And as Leyla Doss reports, this isn’t just about economics. It’s about the social and cultural fabric of a neighborhood.
