An Evening in San Francisco:  The purpose of this visit to the Bay Area was to attend the Wells Fargo Bank African American Advisory Council of which we are a proud partner.  Much progress is being made toward capital access for our members.  Also, we wanted to assess the strength and readiness of our chapters in dealing with the institutional racism in state/federal procurement.  The state is violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and there appears to be no organized opposition to fight it.  Maybe if Harry Alford steps forward as a native Californian and current property owner with firm roots (our chambers are led by few native Californians if any) we can gather some momentum.  The place to stay is the St. Regis.  NBCC Board Member and past Chairman Fred Jordan has ownership in this 5 Star establishment which is why the Museum of the African Diaspora is housed on the property.  It has 20 floors of hotel rooms and 22 floors of condominiums. Three of the $10 million condos are owned by Black entrepreneurs.  Harry and Kay went to the restaurant and were seated next to the famous Willie Brown, former Mayor of San Francisco and Speaker of the House.  He was impeccable as ever and with very sharp wit.
 
The first evening we met with members of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco African American Chamber of Commerce.  They had the blues.  Their local and state governments are steamrolling them and the percentage of Black participation barely registers on the meter.  They really don’t know as the numbers are kept from them and the rest of the public.  It’s like Mississippi all over again.  That’s it – California is the new Mississippi.  New York has just contracted with a firm to provide a statewide Disparity Study to analyze their status and make improvements.  This is in accordance with the Supreme Court and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.  Somebody needs to make California do it.  “If not you, who; if not now, when?  This will become a NBCC priority for 2008.
 
Things got much better.  The next evening Fred picked up Kay and Harry and took them to the 1300 on Fillmore restaurant, www.1300fillmore.com, which is located in the historic Black Fillmore district of San Francisco.  This lovely Black owned establishment is co-managed by Executive Chef David Lawrence.  David greeted us at the door.  He is Jamaican born and professionally trained in London.  The ambiance and cuisine was just outstanding.  The other co-manager is Monetta White who recommended a merlot with our tenderloin and short rib orders.  The merlot was labeled Black Coyote which is a Black owned winery in the Napa Valley.  The owner of 1300 on Fillmore, Dr. Ernest A. Bates, also owns the Black Coyote winery.
 
The restaurant is housed in a building known as Heritage Place.  This, too, is a Black owned establishment.  The condominium/retail structure is being developed by Michael E. Johnson, the CEO of EM Johnson Interest.  Michael has developments in Atlanta as well as Washington, DC. He is becoming a major player in revitalizing the Fillmore District.  We had the honor of him joining us at our table as we finished the wonderful meal and listened to classic jazz.  Black developers are starting to make their mark on America.  Right now the majority of developers handling the Housing Authority of New Orleans projects happen to be Black.
 
At the end of the lovely evening Monetta White informed us of at least ten Black owned wineries.  They even have an association, The Association of African American Vintners, which we will start to promote.  We consider this unique and special.  This holiday season consider ordering your wine needs from either Running Tigers Wine, A Color of Grape, Black Coyote Chateau, Esterlina Winery and Vineyards, Marc Norwood Vineyards & Winery Inc., Poston Crest Vineyard, Sharp Cellars, Stover Oaks Vineyard & Winery, Sugarleaf Vineyards and Vision Cellars.  You can contact all of them via www.aaavintners.org.   Praise the Lord; we now have our own wine!!
 
Next Spring, the NBCC will host a Summit in Napa and premier these fine wineries as we strategize on bringing diversity back to the procurement side of the State of California.