What's going on everyone, Welcome to another edition of Confessions of a Native Son, I'm your host "IRON" Mike Steadman, a Marine Corps Veteran, Entrepreneur, and Aspiring author, who enjoys thought-provoking and engaging dialogue about race, culture, and business. In the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, and the riots that took place all across the country this summer, there's been increased attention to the challenges that black entrepreneurs face with regards to access to capital.  With less than 1% of venture capital going to black founders,  and black small businesses unable to access traditional bank loans without a proven track record of success. As black entrepreneurs, we face significant challenges with regards to raising capital for ourselves and our communities. To discuss this issue with me, I invited on the show Elizabeth L Carter, a social enterprise and community capital securities attorney with significant experience in business law, nonprofit law, urban planning, community development, and government relations and policy. Through her firm Elizabeth L Carter Esq, LLC she assists small businesses, cooperatives, and nonprofits with the legal compliance of raising capital from both accredited and non-accredited investors. Together, we discuss the systemic inequalities in fundraising, the current challenges faced by entrepreneurs of color, and cooperative economics. As a black entrepreneur and leader of a small business incubator in Newark, NJ, this conversation is near and dear to my heart, and I enjoyed having it with her. As always, I appreciate you for sharing your time with me and I hope you enjoy today's show.