In Community: Centering Small Businesses for Thriving Neighborhoods

Despite billions invested in making New York City “business-friendly,” the smallest businesses—especially those in LMI communities and owned by immigrants and people of color—face growing threats to survival. Uneven enforcement of fees and fines, rising commercial rents, unsafe streets, and inadequate sanitation all make it more difficult—and more expensive—for neighborhood businesses to stay open and thrive.

In response, ANHD and our members are reimagining what community development can look like—centering the smallest businesses, commercial tenants, and street vendors as key partners in building neighborhood power.

ANHD’s Citywide Merchant Organizing Project (CMOP) brings organizers across NYC neighborhoods together to learn to build a base, develop leaders, and coordinate across corridors to win structural change that center small businesses and lead to thriving neighborhoods.

On September 16th in the Bronx, join us for a conversation with merchant organizers and small business leaders driving change in commercial corridors. We’ll hear from this year’s CMOP cohort—organizers from Chhaya CDC, Street Vendor Project, and WHEDco—along with merchant leaders from the neighborhoods they organize in. Together, we’ll explore what it takes to organize in a system that favors big business and disinvestment—and how merchant organizing connects to housing justice, tenant organizing, and broader community and economic development strategies. We'll also share a meal from a local Bronx restaurant supported in their community by WHEDco.

If you’re curious about merchant organizing, looking to enhance your base-building strategies, or seeking to connect small business advocacy to your housing and economic justice work, this event is for you.

SPEAKERS

Ariana Bon, Program Manager, Community Development, WHEDco

Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, Deputy Director, Street Vendor Project

Kerry A. McLean, Vice President, Community Development, WHEDco

Urgen Sherpa, Senior Small Business Organizer, Chhaya CDC

Jessica Taylor, National Director, Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women Initiative

Speakers in formation.

EVENT DETAILS

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

12:30 - 3:30 PM

Lunch from a local vendor will be provided.

Bronx Music Hall

438 E 163rd St, Bronx, NY 10451

TRANSPORTATION

• 4 train to 161 St-Yankee Stadium
• 2 or 5 train to Prospect Ave
• Metro-North to Melrose
• Bx6, Bx13 to 163 St/3 Av
• Bx41 to to Melrose Av/E 160 St

• Citi Bike dock at Washington Ave & E 163 St

PHOTOGRAPHY

You may opt out of being photographed at this event. If you prefer not to be photographed, place a red dot on your nametag (provided at check in), and we will ensure ANHD does not use or publish any photographs with your likeness. As an attendee, we ask that you be respecful of this policy, and not photograph any attendees with a dot on their nametag.

There will not be video or audio recordings of the event.

If you do not place a red dot on your nametag, you consent to be photographed and consent to ANHD using any images/footage in perpetuity with no further notice or compensation.

COVID PROTOCOLS

In-person attendees are asked to be fully vaccinated and comply with all New York City and New York State guidelines at the time of the event. We support masks to protect vulnerable populations and will have masks on hand at all events. ANHD will also have hand sanitizer available.

ACCESSIBILITY

All Fight Forward event spaces are fully accessible by wheelchair and are ADA compliant. If you have any questions or accommodation or service requests to fully participate with us, please contact Director of Operations Lauren Nye at [email protected] at least 15 days prior to the event.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bronx Music Hall, 438 East 163rd Street, The Bronx, United States