With a history of male, white-dominant institutions in the United States, different disenfranchised groups of people have had to rely on building their own support structures. These organizations are sometimes the only way a group of similar people can get the compassionate support they needed to navigate major life events - like owning a business.
If you're an entrepreneur looking for minority-owned business community groups in the PNW, you're in the right place. Below is a continually updated list of unique groups and organizations that focus on supporting their respective demographic of entrepreneurs. You can also add your favorite groups and the community they serve in the comments:
AAPI (Asian American/Pacific Islander)
- Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce
- Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area
- Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce of Oregon and SW Washington (APACC) (Portland)
- Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective (FB group)
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color)
Black/African American
- CAC (Seattle-local)
- Tabor 100 (local)
- Tacoma Black Collective (local)
- Federal Way Black Collective (local)
- Black Connect (national)
- Black Owned Business Portal (BlackOBP) (national)
- Black Women Business Owners of America (national)
- Black Business Owners Network (BBON) (FB group)
- Black Owned Businesses and Entrepreneurship Group (FB group)
Hispanic/Latinx
- El Centro De La Raza
- Latin Chamber of Commerce (Seattle)
- Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber (OR)
- Latinas In Business (national)
Indigenous/Native American
- Native Business Center (Spokane)
- One Coalition-OREGON NATIVE ENTERPRISE Coalition (OR)
- Indigenous Business & Entrepreneurship (FB group)
- Indigenous Women’s Business Network
- Oregon Native American Chamber (OR)
- Portland Indigenous Marketplace (OR)
LGBTQ+
- StartOut (national)
- GSBA (local)
- Lesbians Who Tech
- Gay Entrepreneurs Network (national)
- National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC)
- Reaching Out (national)
Women
- Chick Chat
- Xxcelerate (Portland)
- Seattle Entrepreneurial Women's Network (Seattle)
- Women Business Owners (Seattle)
- Women in Cloud (tech entrepreneur’s specific-Seattle based)
- Asian Female Entrepreneur Collective (FB group)
- Latinas In Business (national)
- Indigenous Women’s Business Network
Veterans
There are a number of very effective organizations in Tacoma-Pierce County you may want to add to your listings…