Bay Area foundation helps minority-owned businesses navigate the pandemic

Lack of support and resources. Lack of capital. Systemic racism. 

Arturo Noriega knows better than most the obstacles that many people of color face when starting a business. Since 2010, the founder of Centro Community Partners — a nonprofit, Oakland-based foundation that provides mentoring, consultation and access to capital to underserved, low-income entrepreneurs — and his team of “entrepreneurship trainers” have worked with more than 4,500 aspiring business owners, helping turn ideas and dreams into reality.