St. Louis Business and Civic Leaders,

At the onset of Black History Month, we are called not only to reflect and learn from our past but also to look forward to how we, as Greater St. Louis, Inc., can work in support of a future that lifts up everyone in our metro, especially our Black residents.

For us, that work centers on inclusive economic growth: the north star of the STL 2030 Jobs Plan. That means we grow the pipeline of opportunities and do the work in partnership to reduce barriers so that everyone in our region, regardless of their zip code or the color of their skin, can thrive.

That means committing to the work of promoting community-led development and wealth-building that will have generational impact. It means shining a light on the stories of people that not only shaped our history but also those that will guide our future.

• This month, we launched the application process for both our Diverse Business Accelerator and our St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative Fellows Experience, initiatives focused on investing in Black entrepreneurs and multi-cultural professionals in our metro.

• On theSTL.com, part of our STLMade initiative, we are amplifying the stories of Black creatives, business and community leaders, and other Black members of our community who are driving change and shaping the future of our metro.

• We are working with leading businesses across the region, like GDIT, and organizations, like Rung for Women, to strengthen and expand workforce development efforts.

• To promote community development efforts, we are partnering with the City of St. Louis on its community-led neighborhood planning process and we are leading a metro-wide coalition that has been named a finalist for a federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant that would result in millions of dollars in investment in North St. Louis City.

• To help strengthen wealth-building opportunities for our Black residents, we are supporting a new entrepreneurship program at Harris-Stowe State University they recently launched with an investment from PNC Bank.

• We are working with companies like 8th Avenue Foods in support of high-quality manufacturing and production jobs in North St. Louis County and helped secure a new NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway that is driving over $40 million in new investment to Madison, Illinois.

While there is much more to be done, these are some of the ways we are committing to drive inclusive growth. That commitment also requires us to acknowledge that as we celebrate and honor Black History this month, our work must be a year-round endeavor.

We truly appreciate your support and commitment to the principles of inclusive growth and the work we are doing in support of it.

Respectfully yours,

Jason R. Hall
Chief Executive Officer

Valerie E. Patton, MA, MSW
Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
President, Greater St. Louis Foundation