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<span style="font-size:1.0pt"><img width="325" height="73" style="width:3.3854in;height:.7604in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D7A979.EFB9FF00" alt="Title: City of Durham Communications Department"></span><span style="font-size:1.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:5.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<b><span style="color:#00467E">News Media Contact<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:#00467E">Amy Blalock, Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:#00467F">919.560.4123 x11253 | 919.475.7735 (mobile</span><span style="color:#00467E">)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none;vertical-align:middle">
<span style="color:#00467E">Amy.Blalock@DurhamNC.gov</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#00467E"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:50.0pt;color:#00467F">News Release</span><span style="color:#00467F;text-transform:uppercase">
</span><br>
<span style="color:#EF3D42">For Immediate Release: September 14, 2021</span><span style="color:#D3372A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Durham Celebrates 2021 MED Week October 4-8</span></b></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><i><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">All-Virtual, Free Events Designed to Connect Durham Businesses with New Opportunities</span></i></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:red"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">DURHAM, N.C. – Durham business owners will get their chance next month to learn how to connect their business with more opportunities during the Bull City’s
observance of </span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">the<span style="color:black">
</span></span></span><span style="color:blue"><a href="https://2021medweek.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">2021 Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">The City of Durham, in partnership with community, state and local businesses, will observe an all-virtual 2021 MED Week from October 4-8. MED Week celebrates
the achievements of minority entrepreneurs and affirms government, business, and community organizations' commitment to the principle of equal opportunity. </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">New for this year, a full week of free, virtual programming is designed to support the growth and development of minority business enterprises. This year’s
theme is <i>“Thriving Through Adversity</i>,” and the deadline to </span></span><span style="color:blue"><a href="https://2021medweek.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">register</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> to
attend any of the following events is Friday, October 1.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="color:black">Monday, October 4, 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Meet the Team<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">Minority enterprise development is a cross-boundary collaboration between government, nonprofit, and for-profit corporations in pursuing economic equity. This session will share more
about this collaboration and introduce many of the people involved in Durham’s local effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="color:black">Tuesday, October 5, 10 a.m. – noon: 2021 MED Week Honors Ceremony<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">This event will recognize minority and women businesses for their excellence and accomplishments in construction, professional services, and non-professional services. The keynote
speaker is Mike Arriola, director of the North Carolina Small Business Administration (SBA). Arriola will discuss the SBA relief and recovery programs during COVID-19 and the impacts and successes in North Carolina.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="color:black">Wednesday, October 6, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.: Engaging in Local and Regional Growth<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Triangle DEI Alliance, and the Research Triangle Foundation will share details about planned local and regional growth and how Durham’s businesses
can engage in these opportunities. Separate registration is</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:blue">
</span></span><span style="color:blue"><a href="http://members.durhamchamber.org/events/details/engaging-in-local-regional-growth-5775"><span style="color:blue">required</span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="color:black">Thursday, October 7, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.: 2021 Minority Business Fair<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">An opportunity for business attendees to market their products and services while interacting with corporate, government, and other procurement agents and the community at large.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><b><span style="color:black">Friday, October 8, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.: How Small Businesses Can Reduce Cyber Risks<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color:black">Large corporations are not the only vulnerable targets of hackers. Ransomware reportedly strikes every 11 seconds and cyber-crime is projected to cost businesses $10.5 trillion as
of 2025. Paul Ashe, president of Securance Consulting, will discusses proactive steps businesses may take to secure their network and reduce their risk of becoming cyber-crime victims.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">Durham’s local observance is a collaborative effort including the City of Durham Equity and Inclusion Department, Durham County, Skanska USA Building, Inc.,
Le Chase Construction, Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce, Duke University, Duke Health, SAS, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, The Institute, Samet Corporation, Durham Public Schools, Securance Consulting, and the N.C. Department of Administration Office
for Historically Underutilized Businesses</span></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">For more information about Durham’s 2021 MED Week observance, contact Director Deborah Giles with the City’s Equity and Inclusion Department at (919) 560-4180
or by </span></span><span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:Deborah.Giles@DurhamNC.gov" target="_blank"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:blue">email</span></span></a></span><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">.</span></span><span class="eop"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline">
<span class="eop"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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