11 Jan City leaders pledge $250K to development of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture
Rendering of the future Center for Black Excellence and Culture on Madison’s south side
City leaders have pledged $250,000 to The Center for Black Excellence and Culture to help with strategy, planning and programming preparations.
The city’s pledge comes a few months after Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced more than $800,000 of the county’s 2021 budget would be put aside to help organizers pursue and purchase land for the center.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said she’s “pleased” that the city will play a role in establishing the new cultural center.
“This is an important way for us to support, honor and promote our Black community, its leaders and businesses,” Rhodes-Conway said. “Our community needs spaces like this Center, and I appreciate Dr. Alex Gee’s leadership and vision in creating it. I truly look forward to its opening and operation.”
The $250,000 in funding for the Center will come from the city’s Small Business and Equity Recovery Program, which was introduced in October to address “historic and current inequities in funding and support for small businesses owned by people of color,” according to a news release.