SYRACUSE, N.Y.(NCC News) —Earlier this month, Governor Kathy Hochul signed three new bills to help boost women and minority- owned businesses in the city of Syracuse. One bill is a preventative measure for fraud and abuse against minority business owners.
There aren’t a lot of minority businesses in the area but the ones that are present continue to make an impact every way that they can. 210 Teas owner Kahssia Hills is the only black-owned tea business in Syracuse. She looks at this accomplishment as a huge highlight because her business has a heartfelt meaning to it. Hills began her journey selling loose-leaf teas online. She decided to choose teas because they were unique and weren’t common. The inspiration behind tea came from her grandmother.
“My grandmother also had sweet tea in her kitchen all the time. It was the only drink that we had when we were growing up” Hills said.
Hills understands the importance of New York state shining a light on women and minority owned businesses because a lot of individuals don’t have examples to pull from when it comes to entrepreneurship.
Owner of Lavish Lala Nails Ladashia Adams explained the impact that black owned businesses have on minorities.
“It empowers us, and it also gives us that sense that we can have something of our own. We can strive to be great, and we can have businesses that will also make other people who are minorities comfortable” Adams said.
Both owners started their businesses during the pandemic and have excelled since then. They are making a difference in the community each day, showing minorities that it’s possible to own your own business. These new laws that were implemented are giving minorities a space to grow their businesses. Hills believes that support from the local government is super important especially when they focus and highlight minority business owners.