Minneapolis will host its fifth annual Black Business Week from July 24-31, featuring events designed to support and celebrate Black-owned businesses throughout the city.

The week will kick off with an event at George Floyd Square on July 24, hosted by Chef Lelle Cunningham of City Food Studio and Healthy Roots Institute. The kickoff will include walking tours of the 38th Street corridor, art gallery visits, food vendor tastings, and a press conference featuring Mayor Jacob Frey and Council Members Andrea Jenkins and Jeremiah Ellison.

"We really want this to be an opportunity for the community to start coming back into the space in an intentional way," Cunningham said during a radio interview on KMOJ 89.9 FM. The event aims to showcase the concentration of Black-owned businesses along the 38th and Chicago corridor while honoring the area's historical significance.

Additional events throughout the week include a business conference at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on July 25, hosted by Rojo Collective. On July 26, the West Broadway Business Area Coalition will host a street mall at Capri Theater, while Weber Camden Neighborhood Organization will hold a Black Business Expo at the North Side Epicenter.

The week concludes July 30 with the Black Business Week Summit at Midtown Global Market, featuring headshot opportunities, wellness workshops, resource fairs, and cooking demonstrations. D.A. Sadir, senior policy aide to Council Member Andrea Jenkins, emphasized the initiative's role in launching National Black Business Month in August and connecting entrepreneurs with city resources and business organizations.