Many African American community-based organizations do good work and serve their communities well. But there are others that are just not up to par. They are rife with infighting, jealousy and a distrust that undermines their effectiveness and dilutes their credibility.
As Orlando matures, the ineffectiveness of these entities underscores why west side neighborhoods, particularly those that are pre-dominantly black, continue to lag behind, while awed at the progress of other ethnicities comprising West Orlando’s melting pot.
Hispanics and now Asians of all stripes are pouring into west side neighborhoods. Affordability, convenience and a sense of opportunity are the primary motivators. Many are establishing enclaves of commercial activity seemingly overnight, while long term residents lament their exclusion.
Noting the strides made by others, some residents marvel that Hispanic and Asian business organizations are better organized and united, while Black business groups largely do not exist, or are fragmented.
This is no more the case than with the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida (AACCCF). The 63 year old organization has watched from the sidelines as billions have been invested in Central Florida, bringing untold wealth and prosperity to thousands of business owners, while its advocacy for African American businesses has deteriorated from one of relevance to insignificance.
At a recent luncheon focusing on the Community Venues project and its intended benefits for West Orlando, a high profile black elected official caused jaws to drop with the comment, “If the Chamber can’t get it right this time, then it should dissolve.”
The ineffectiveness of the AACCCF is a well kept secret in West Orlando. Even long time business owners quietly complain and question what it is that the Chamber is doing for African American business.
The concept, ‘chamber of commerce’ is rooted in advocacy, lobbying and networking. Creating alliances, and developing opportunities are the primary reasons for existing as a chamber of commerce. Currently, the local African American Chamber do none of these well. This said, the Chamber has among its ranks some very good and capable people. Some have decades of service to the community, volunteering, mentoring and demonstrating genuine concern for Orlando’s black business community.
But, sadly,t he hush-hush, unmentionable gossip about certain members of the AACCCF governing board, centers around how successful they have become at advocating for themselves. Accusations of conspiring to shoot down good ideas, dictate bad ones, and show up only to board meetings are common complaints.
That is not to say that the chamber did not enjoy some good years in the past. During the early 2000s, the organization received very strong support. Its famed M~Powerment Luncheon was a well attended revenue generating event. During this period too, the organization was developing momentum, creating a sense of excitement and charting a new destiny for its members.
As Black professionals poured into the area from the Caribbean, New York and elsewhere, it was a natural progression to seek business alliances. The excitement of the new arrivals was contagious. By the early 2000’s, Orlando was ranked 2nd only to Atlanta as black attorneys, accountants, and MBA’s descended on Orlando, buying homes, and establishing businesses. This new black business buzz was great for the Central Florida African American Chamber
The downfall began with the dismissal of former CEO Nina Frazier, Ed.D., in 2003. Rampant rumors of fiscal mismanagement, placed the chamber in limbo, and created a sense of disarray. Its board of directors at the time panicked, forgetting the value of a full time executive and let the chamber fall.
Simultaneously, almost in irony, the Chamber’s Hispanic counterparts began to flourish. They overcame differences between nationalities, subcultures, and dialects, and decided that working together would make their group the preferred ethnic organization for many local companies’ sponsorship dollars.
Efforts to revive the AACCCF were initiated by several younger African Americans, many of whom relocated to Orlando from major metropolitan areas.
They were greeted with the now famous quote of its current Board Chair, Ronald O. Rogers, who told the Orlando Sentinel, “You can’t bring New York to Orlando. The best thing to do when you come to a community is to fit in, blend in and become a part of the fabric — not to come in and try to change the community to be what you want it to be.”
Sensing urgency, the new influx of black professionals resolved to instill new leadership with name recognition. The criteria for name recognition would be a young professional, with hometown roots, and connections that could be leveraged to benefit the organization.
They chose Juan Lynum.
Lynum went to work fast. Utilizing his name, he successfully restored and sold out two M~Powerment Luncheon’s, filling the chambers bank account, while executing an aggressive public relations campaign to restore the group’s name recognition and profile.
News media noticed and Lynum was branded a young lion among African American professionals in Orlando. In the first 60 days of his eight month contract Lynum and a group of committed professionals had given the organization new life and a renewed sense of purpose.
But, this was not to last.
Older members began to resent the renewed enthusiasm, envying the attention that the young turks were garnering with ease. Alarmed, they sought to slow things down, never considering that the wheels could fall off. New ideas, and aggressive marketing of Orlando’s black business community were dispelled. Efforts to aggregate and publicize Black business were resisted and belittled by a handful of older board members. A few, in leadership roles sought side deals for their respective businesses, going so far as to compete with the Chamber’s efforts by seeking public relations contracts and other incentives.
The newly invigorated Chamber, with Lynum at its helm continued to generate interest and support, but suffered from the debilitating, micro-management tactics of an older, sometimes self-defeating board. Lynum finally left the Chamber upon discovering that a staff member was coerced into unauthorized use of a chamber credit card. News of Lynums exit spread quickly, gaining attention of the Orlando Sentinel.
The departure of Lynum led to disillusionment by many of the new young members. Without a president, the group stumbled around for a year, until it hired Lonnie Bell, former chairman of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and Orlando Utilities Commission board in March 2007. Capable, brilliant and well connected, Bell was able to leverage his relationships and successfully restore financial support for full time operations. Eleven months later, after re-building respect for the chamber, Bell was tapped by Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty to succeed the fired Fitzhugh Long as Manager of Business Development for Orange County.
The departure of Bell does not bode well for the Chamber. Only time will tell whether the Chamber has within it the capacity to rehabilitate itself, failing which it will surely continue to be ineffective and ineffectual.
?
Many African American community-based organizations do good work and serve their communities well. But there are others that are just not up to par. They are rife with infighting, jealousy and a distrust that undermines their effectiveness and dilutes their credibility.
As Orlando matures, the ineffectiveness of these entities underscores why west side neighborhoods, particularly those that are pre-dominantly black, continue to lag behind, while awed at the progress of other ethnicities comprising West Orlando’s melting pot.
Hispanics and now Asians of all stripes are pouring into west side neighborhoods. Affordability, convenience and a sense of opportunity are the primary motivators. Many are establishing enclaves of commercial activity seemingly overnight, while long term residents lament their exclusion.
Noting the strides made by others, some residents marvel that Hispanic and Asian business organizations are better organized and united, while Black business groups largely do not exist, or are fragmented.
This is no more the case than with the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida (AACCCF). The 63 year old organization has watched from the sidelines as billions have been invested in Central Florida, bringing untold wealth and prosperity to thousands of business owners, while its advocacy for African American businesses has deteriorated from one of relevance to insignificance.
At a recent luncheon focusing on the Community Venues project and its intended benefits for West Orlando, a high profile black elected official caused jaws to drop with the comment, “If the Chamber can’t get it right this time, then it should dissolve.”
The ineffectiveness of the AACCCF is a well kept secret in West Orlando. Even long time business owners quietly complain and question what it is that the Chamber is doing for African American business.
The concept, ‘chamber of commerce’ is rooted in advocacy, lobbying and networking. Creating alliances, and developing opportunities are the primary reasons for existing as a chamber of commerce. Currently, the local African American Chamber do none of these well. This said, the Chamber has among its ranks some very good and capable people. Some have decades of service to the community, volunteering, mentoring and demonstrating genuine concern for Orlando’s black business community.
But, sadly,t he hush-hush, unmentionable gossip about certain members of the AACCCF governing board, centers around how successful they have become at advocating for themselves. Accusations of conspiring to shoot down good ideas, dictate bad ones, and show up only to board meetings are common complaints.
That is not to say that the chamber did not enjoy some good years in the past. During the early 2000s, the organization received very strong support. Its famed M~Powerment Luncheon was a well attended revenue generating event. During this period too, the organization was developing momentum, creating a sense of excitement and charting a new destiny for its members.
As Black professionals poured into the area from the Caribbean, New York and elsewhere, it was a natural progression to seek business alliances. The excitement of the new arrivals was contagious. By the early 2000’s, Orlando was ranked 2nd only to Atlanta as black attorneys, accountants, and MBA’s descended on Orlando, buying homes, and establishing businesses. This new black business buzz was great for the Central Florida African American Chamber
The downfall began with the dismissal of former CEO Nina Frazier, Ed.D., in 2003. Rampant rumors of fiscal mismanagement, placed the chamber in limbo, and created a sense of disarray. Its board of directors at the time panicked, forgetting the value of a full time executive and let the chamber fall.
Simultaneously, almost in irony, the Chamber’s Hispanic counterparts began to flourish. They overcame differences between nationalities, subcultures, and dialects, and decided that working together would make their group the preferred ethnic organization for many local companies’ sponsorship dollars.
Efforts to revive the AACCCF were initiated by several younger African Americans, many of whom relocated to Orlando from major metropolitan areas.
They were greeted with the now famous quote of its current Board Chair, Ronald O. Rogers, who told the Orlando Sentinel, “You can’t bring New York to Orlando. The best thing to do when you come to a community is to fit in, blend in and become a part of the fabric — not to come in and try to change the community to be what you want it to be.”
Sensing urgency, the new influx of black professionals resolved to instill new leadership with name recognition. The criteria for name recognition would be a young professional, with hometown roots, and connections that could be leveraged to benefit the organization.
They chose Juan Lynum.
Lynum went to work fast. Utilizing his name, he successfully restored and sold out two M~Powerment Luncheon’s, filling the chambers bank account, while executing an aggressive public relations campaign to restore the group’s name recognition and profile.
News media noticed and Lynum was branded a young lion among African American professionals in Orlando. In the first 60 days of his eight month contract Lynum and a group of committed professionals had given the organization new life and a renewed sense of purpose.
But, this was not to last.
Older members began to resent the renewed enthusiasm, envying the attention that the young turks were garnering with ease. Alarmed, they sought to slow things down, never considering that the wheels could fall off. New ideas, and aggressive marketing of Orlando’s black business community were dispelled. Efforts to aggregate and publicize Black business were resisted and belittled by a handful of older board members. A few, in leadership roles sought side deals for their respective businesses, going so far as to compete with the Chamber’s efforts by seeking public relations contracts and other incentives.
The newly invigorated Chamber, with Lynum at its helm continued to generate interest and support, but suffered from the debilitating, micro-management tactics of an older, sometimes self-defeating board. Lynum finally left the Chamber upon discovering that a staff member was coerced into unauthorized use of a chamber credit card. News of Lynums exit spread quickly, gaining attention of the Orlando Sentinel.
The departure of Lynum led to disillusionment by many of the new young members. Without a president, the group stumbled around for a year, until it hired Lonnie Bell, former chairman of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and Orlando Utilities Commission board in March 2007. Capable, brilliant and well connected, Bell was able to leverage his relationships and successfully restore financial support for full time operations. Eleven months later, after re-building respect for the chamber, Bell was tapped by Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty to succeed the fired Fitzhugh Long as Manager of Business Development for Orange County.
The departure of Bell does not bode well for the Chamber. Only time will tell whether the Chamber has within it the capacity to rehabilitate itself, failing which it will surely continue to be ineffective and ineffectual.
this is a fantastic historical perspective of the african american chamber of commerce. however, one aspect of the chronology is in error. dr. nina frazier took the helm of the organization when it was failing and breathed new life into it, with her passion for the community. she espoused the seven principles that most of us relate to the kwanzaa celebration. kujichagulia” (self determination by the people and for the peoople), ujima (collective work & responsibility), ujamaa (collective economics), nia (purpose), kuumba(creativity) and imani (faith). she incorporated these principles into her personal and professional leadership style, which served the community well.
your story indicates that she left under the cloud of rumor regarding mismanagement. wrong! i am keenly aware that she was successful, relying upon her networking prowess and acumen for bringing folk together, in garnering in-kind contributions and bringing in significant funding into the organization as well as the establishment of working relations with debtors (IRS) to put things back on track. not to go into the gruesome details, but at the same time, let me say, “how dare anyone portend that she mismanaged anything.” in stark contrast, she was the reason that the chamber yet lived.
the reference to dr. frazier and mismanagement, is an example of why african-americans are hesitant to give their talents and expertise. there was no substantial compensation and the demonstration of non-monetary appreciation was never manisfested in a way that exemplified a level of respect and gratitude for her contributions.
let her leadership and contributions of countless others remind us of how important it is to show love and appreciation the next time a star comes along.