Celebrating Success: The 32nd Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week

The 32nd Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, held from October 7-10, was a fantastic celebration of the minority business community’s strength and success! More than 200 attendees came together for an exciting week of events that empowered, inspired, and connected entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The festivities started with a lively opening reception at Earley’s Kitchen, where old friends reconnected, and new relationships were formed over great food and conversation. It set the tone for a week full of opportunities.

Workshops led by 12 expert organizations provided practical advice and strategies for doing business with government agencies, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. Each session was followed by energetic networking, where participants met with representatives from 36 organizations, opening doors to new partnerships and growth opportunities.

The highlight of the week was the Business Awards Celebration, where we proudly honored the 2024 award recipients:

• Reggie L. Rolle Economic Development Champion of the Year: Brenda Williams, Tallahassee Housing Authority
• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) of the Year: Taroon and Sameera Shah, Express Printing and Copying
• Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) of the Year: Linda Hunkiar, Bannerman Landscape

We also enjoyed introducing the inaugural Youth Entrepreneurs of the Year: Laila Wilson, aka DJ Laila Jade, and Nyla Maddox, co-owner of Maddox Youth Dance Company. These young leaders are already making waves, and it was an honor to recognize their achievements.

MED Week 2024 was a true celebration of learning, networking, and recognition. Thank you to the MED Week Committee and all participating organizations and partners for making this year’s event a memorable success. We can’t wait to build on this momentum and see you all next year!