LSU is conducting a study on “African American hardships amid pandemic in Baton Rouge”

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BATON ROUGE - New research is shedding light on the experiences of African Americans dealing with COVID-19 and the lack of resources available to Black-owned businesses.

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With fewer customers dining in, Jackson had to resort to borrowing money in hopes of keeping the business afloat. Although the restaurant was suffering financially, it did not qualify for most small business aid.

LSU's associate professor David Stamps and the university collected data showing Black residents living in the city have been hit the hardest compared to their racial counterparts.

"The reality was, a lot of small businesses, a lot of minority businesses, weren't able to access that capital because they didn't have a relationship with a bank," Stamps said.

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The study focused on the lack of resources such as medical care, transportation, and technology lacking in the African American community. In this case, it's financial stability for restaurant owners. "It's basically a barrier. So the idea is, if you want to support these communities, if you want to see these communities not only survive COVID but thrive afterwards, we need to remove some of the barriers. So all of the legalese and the relationships that oftentimes, we're just not privy to.

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The plan is to help Black-owned businesses stand on their feet. Stamps says this is simply a heads up for policy makers.

"Moving forward, you know these small businesses exist, you know they're influential within the community. Write checks and put them directly into their pockets," Stamps said.

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