On this episode of Florida Matters, you’ll hear about an effort to connect people with Black businesses throughout Tampa Bay.

Among the flurry of executive orders President Trump signed in his first days back in the oval office: rolling back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the federal government.

It’s a tactic Floridians are familiar with. Governor Ron DeSantis waged a ‘war on woke’ over the past couple of years, targeting DEI efforts in schools and workplaces.

But now big businesses are scaling back their DEI programs. That has prompted a backlash against those businesses.

The battle over DEI and the ripple effects on shoppers and businesses comes as Black History Month gets underway.

Nicole Payne, President of the Hillsborough County Black Chamber of Commerce, joined Florida Matters to explain how her organization works to strengthen Black-owned businesses in the region, and some of the hurdles they face.

And Hillary Van Dyke talks about working to connect people with Black-owned businesses with the online directory she co-founded: the Green Book of Tampa Bay.