For A.J. Enchill, the president and executive director of the Berkshire Black Economic Council (BBEC), economic development for Berkshire County and building up Black entrepreneurs and businesses go hand in hand.
“The makeup of our community in Berkshire County is changing,” Enchill said. “If we ever want to close the wealth gap and uplift this economy, we need to have a diverse plethora of racial makeup in our industries. It’s going to take Black and minority businesses, and other white-owned mom-and-pops, filling up our vacant storefronts.”