THE DIGITAL DIVIDE DEMANDS OUR HELP!!!
There are numerous discussions and articles written about the "Technology Digital Divide", the gap between the various ethnic groups in America for the utilization of computers and the Internet. African Americans came in next to last, just ahead of Hispanic Americans. In addition, the study shows a trend which African American businesses and their public / private institutions are going to be left out of the global economy in the new millennium, because the Internet is expected to become the main vehicle by consumers around the world to select their business choices and to seek references for their many needs.
The Board Members of our Parent Company, Telecommunications Ventures Group, met with several respected political and economic authorities about the "digital divide" and sought advice for making a positive impact for African American business opportunities. All information resources strongly suggested that these African American businesses and public / private institutions MUST have a viable presence on the global Internet, if they are serious about survival in the new millennium. All cited statistics which indicate that 70% to 80% of future business decisions will result from research via the Internet. Numerous major corporations are using the Internet to locate businesses to do business with, which are African American owned , Women owned, and/or Disadvantaged. Business - To - Business transactions and relationships are rapidly becoming a major component of the Internet. As a result, failure to be present on that medium will directly equate to business failure; or at a minimum, business mediocrity.
Because African American businesses have failed to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain a FREE Directory listing in the African American Business Directory, the Board conducted research to determine "Why?". We found the many African American businesses and private / public organizations have no computer OR had no Internet access. This was a mission critical revelation.
The Board thinks the Internet presence for these businesses is important enough to consider another option. We have met in closed session and voted to, not only, establish the Internet based African American Business Directory as a "Corporate Contribution" to the future success of African American businesses and public / private institutions, but also, to begin a campaign to make it a reality.
The Board made a decision to solicit the assistance of Students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and ALL Interested Citizens willing to contribute to this cause, to do the following:
 | (1) download and print a copy of the "Listing of Directory Cities" on your local printer. |
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| (2) download and print a copy of the "Listing of Directory Business Categories" on your local printer. |
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| (3) download and print a copy of the "African American Business Directory Listing Form" on your local printer. Insert legal size paper into your printer to print this Form. Re-Format your printed page by (a) clicking FILE, (b) Click PAGE SETUP, (c) Select paper size 8?quot;x14", (d) change Right & Left Margins to 0.5", and change Top & Bottom Margins to 0.3" and clear "Header" and "Footer" sections to make the Form a single sheet. |
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| (4) Make additional copies, on a local Copier, of the African American Business Directory Listing Form. |
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| (5) Go out into your local communities, visit and explain the African American Business Directory to prospective Business Owners and Organization Leaders and encourage them to complete the Form. |
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| (6) Take the completed Forms back to your computer (at home, business, or classroom), go online to " www.AfricanAmericaBusiness.com", and input the Listing information into the Online African American Business Directory. |
The Businesses and Organizations will be able to see their listings immediately thereafter. Further, the Internet world will also be able to immediately locate and learn about their businesses and/or organizations.
Click The Following Links To Proceed:
(Click "BACK" To Return To This Page)
| Listing of Directory Cities - and Print the Page |
| Listing of Directory Business Categories - and Print the Page |
| African American Business Directory Listing Form - Setup Legal Paper & and Print the Page |