\u201cThere were things that I saw that I thought if we just did one step further, would have been a real success,\u201d she told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cI don\u2019t want to keep griping about stuff. I want to be part of the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prior to her new role, Owens, 66, worked as executive assistant to the president and operations manager for four years. She became a chamber member and volunteer office manager in 2015, working on economic empowerment. She joined the chamber board earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Owens has been creating programs for the chamber, including a health fair. She plans to jumpstart previously held in-person workshops, such as STEM programs, which offered coding for Black girls. She\u2019s also interested in the chamber offering artificial intelligence platforms and databases for its members.<\/p>\n
Blanch Domino Bailey, who met Owens more than 20 years ago through a networking group, said Owens is knowledgeable about small businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe brings a wealth of information to her job. She knows how to network and is professional,\u201d Domino Bailey told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cShe\u2019s the perfect person for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conquering challenges<\/p>\n
Throughout her life, Owens has never let challenges stop her. She remains positive, in spite of being disabled in her 30s with joint damage in her hands and legs from rheumatoid arthritis. She underwent five surgeries, having her hips, ankles and knee replaced.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a struggle,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t want that to be my life story. So I got myself back up and slowly got out of the wheelchair, started walking. And I got back out into the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n
She is determined to help reenergize the Black community and their businesses<\/a>. Black residents comprise just 2.8% of Santa Clara County\u2019s population, according to the July 2025 U.S. Census. Only 1.2% of businesses were Black owned in 2023, according to the Bay Area Equity Atlas<\/a>, and a study showed less than 1% of county contracts went to Black and Latino businesses<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s disappointing because you want to frequent your own people\u2019s businesses,\u201d she said. \u201cMy dad owned a nightclub in the Bay Area and one of the first things people said is, \u2018Where are all the Black people at?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Owens\u2019 first mentor, Carl Davis, Jr., who founded the Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce, motivated her to reach out to disenfranchised minority business owners.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was his passion,\u201d she said. \u201cWe provided a lot of counseling, but when funding dries up, what are you going to do?\u201d<\/p>\n Chuck Cantrell, an economist and San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight columnist<\/a>, said funding is the main obstacle for Black startups, and a racial bias makes it difficult for Black small businesses<\/a> to secure contracts<\/a>, grants and bank loans. He said being capital starved makes it more likely a business is going to fail and prevents its growth.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s funding. That\u2019s the No. 1 obstacle,\u201d Cantrell told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cBlack-led startups don\u2019t get nearly as much funding as any other. It\u2019s generally a racial bias that creates the biggest obstacle.\u201d<\/p>\n Owens agrees and said the data speaks for itself.<\/p>\n \u201cFederal Reserve survey data shows Black-owned firms applied for credit more often than white-owned firms, but were approved at a lower rate of 61% compared with 80%,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is a racial gap. It\u2019s very frustrating. I want to fix that.\u201d<\/p>\n Owens is exploring the possibility of the chamber becoming self-funded, in an effort to break away from a reliance on bank and government funding.\u00a0<\/p>\n Be\u2019Anka Ashaolu, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Nirvana Soul<\/a>, is trying to change the lack of Black businesses in the community.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were driven by a set of very strong values and a mission to bring people together,\u201d she told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n![\"In-line](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792341249_15_interactive-321838904008.png\")
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