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IU.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao at the 2005 regional Opportunity Conference in Chicago.

African American, Hispanic and Asian Pacific American small business owners, non-profits and faith-based organizations gathered in Philadelphia today for the fourth annual U.S. Department of Labor Opportunity Conference. The conference was started in 2003 and is sponsored by an array of groups including the League of Latino United Citizens (LULAC), the Urban League and the Pan Asian- American Leadership Caucus.

"The Opportunity Conference provides traditionally underserved communities with networking, skills enhancement and training opportunities to help them access opportunities in mainstream America including contracting opportunities in the federal government," said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "Small business owners, veterans who are business owners and leaders of faith-based and community organizations will find the Opportunity Conference especially valuable."

Attendees learned about a range of subjects including:

-How to gain access to capital for starting a business.
-Partnership opportunities for faith based and community organizations.
-How to become eligible for the Government Services Administration-approved contractor list.
-How a business can become certified as an 8A minority small business.
-Minority homeownership.

The U.S. Department of Labor has a number of initiatives to assist growing communities. They include enhancing the opportunity for small and minority-owned businesses to contract with the department and giving immigrant communities access to Department of Labor worker protection materials by publishing them in a variety of languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. The department has also reached out to Historically Black Colleges and Universities to help the African-American community learn about new opportunities in high-growth sectors.

The event also was sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Top Ladies of Distinction Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., and the National Association of Black Accountants Inc.

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