Morehouse College and JP Morgan Chase partner to strengthen metro Atlanta Black-owned businesses

June 5th, 2023

From left to right: Morehouse President David Thomas and Alicia Wilson, the managing director and global head of philanthropy for North America at JP Morgan Chase, discuss a new grant to support Black-owned businesses in metro Atlanta. (Daniel Rayzel/WABE)

Morehouse President David Thomas says Atlanta has the highest growth of Black businesses in the nation, and most of the owners of those businesses have a connection to historically black colleges and universities.

Thomas and Alicia Wilson, the managing director and global head of philanthropy for North America at JP Morgan Chase, were guests on Monday’s edition of “Closer Look.”

They talked with show host Rose Scott about a new $1 million grant that Morehouse Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center received from JPMorgan Chase to support Black businesses in metro Atlanta.

They also talked about the launch of a regional network for organizations dedicated to serving entrepreneurs of color and shared how the partnership between the institution and the bank will help Black business owners scale their businesses and build capital.