Business owners tackle economic adversity, unite for change in Mott Haven
Community meetings and encouraging business owners to speak up on illegal activities are just some of the ways they're making the change happen.
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Many can agree that business owners are the pilot of their success, but what happens when a collective of business owners come together to make a change? Magic!
The 138th Street Business District is one of the South Bronx's busiest corridors. Now, business owners in the Bronx Chamber of Commerce's Merchant Collective are tackling the slow economy and forming good habits that can lead to change.
"They've come together under the umbrella of the 138th Street merchants collective and it's a nonprofit with the goal of beautification of the neighborhood benefitting the neighborhood and to help others get attention to their needs here in this neighborhood," said BCOC's Miguel Matos.
Community meetings and encouraging business owners to speak up on illegal activities are just some of the ways they're making the change happen. Jay Molina, of Valencia's Bakery, says they've served the community since 1952 and say this initiative is long overdue.
"With everything that's going on if you don't have a collective voice, how can you have representation?" said Molina.
"My need to see communities thrive and overcome adversity. This is a community that has been heavily underserved, it's primarily Latino and Hispanic dominated and those are my people right there," said Matos.
