The Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce president on why lobby day is a matter of economic survival
Dr. Larry D. Ivory is not the kind of leader who waits to be invited to the table. As president and CEO of the Illinois State Black Chamber of Commerce, he has spent years pushing for economic equity, legislative access and measurable change for Black business owners across the state. At lobby day in Springfield, Illinois, Ivory was in full stride — meeting with legislators, citing data and reminding anyone within earshot that resources only flow to those who show up and ask for them.
He sat down during a busy day at the state capital to explain why participation in the political process is not optional for small business owners — it is survival.
Why is it important for small businesses to participate in lobby day?
It’s about relevancy. The state of Illinois has a $55 billion budget that they’re spending. What we’re trying to do is make sure we get a portion of that $55 billion. And we can’t get a portion if we don’t come down here and ask for it. Like the good book says, you have not because you ask not. We have to come down here and make sure legislators — the House and the Senate — understand that we want to participate where our dollars help create opportunity. We’re here to create wealth and grow our businesses, and we can’t do that without resources. And here in Springfield is exactly where those resources live.
Talk about the importance of knowing your state representatives.
That’s critical. Your state reps represent you — that’s why they call them state reps. But the problem is they can only represent you if you let them know who you are and tell them what matters to you. They can’t represent you if they don’t know you. It’s important to understand the political environment because these people control an enormous amount of money and resources. Your state rep and your state senator have access to capital. They can advocate for you, put things in the budget to bring resources your way and write legislation that can help you — or hurt you. So you want to pick up that phone, call your rep and say, “I disagree with this, and I want you to know that, and I have a lot of people who feel the same way.” That’s how you protect yourself.
You referenced specific numbers in several meetings today. Why was it so important to lead with data?
Because numbers don’t lie. The numbers tell you exactly how we’re performing. And the fact of the matter is that in America, Black people have been underperforming across the board. On the federal contracting side, we only do 1.35% of all federal contracts. Hispanics do 1.85%. Women and Asians account for another 3%. That means white males are capturing close to 94% of all federal contracts — yet they only represent 34 to 36% of the population. That’s what I call overutilization, and we need to change it. The numbers make the case in a way that no one can argue with, and that’s exactly why we lead with them.