What is Declaration '26?
While Project 2025 Tears Us Down, Declaration '26 Build Us Up!
Project 2025 is a warning from those seeking to strip us from the very liberties that define ws as American. It especially presents bleak consequences for Black entrepreneurs, as it aims to limit our representation and leadership in industries—and our ability to make our voices and our votes heard. But we will not be silenced.
Declaration ’26 is a call to action for policymakers, investors, and our community to make rapid and concrete steps towards an America where we each have the tools to make our dreams a reality!
Declaration '26 believes we each have the right to innovate, and that now is the time to make each of our backyards–from the city to the farm–a growth engine!
| Intention | Ways Project 2025 Threatens Black Businesses | Ways Declaration '26 Supports Black Businesses |
|---|---|---|
| Liberty & Security | An overall threat to the conditions that support Black businesses. | Declares that all people have the Right to Innovation, fostering secure conditions for Black businesses. |
| Equity | Major reductions to minority business programs, damaging equity initiatives. | Positions the health and growth of Black entrepreneurs as crucial to the nation’s success. |
| Economy | Promotion of tax cuts to the wealthy and reduced access to capital for Black businesses. | Demands adequate funding from municipal, state, and federal levels for Black businesses. |
| Education | Cuts to major institutions, including the Department of Education, impact Black entrepreneurs. | Advocates for the acknowledgment of urban and minority-serving institutions as vital hubs for Black innovation. |
| Capital & Workforce | Restrictive immigration policies, impacting Black labor markets and talent. | Calls for Innovation Deserts to receive maximum support in capital and workforce development. |
The BIA Innovator’s Bill of Rights
We, the (designers, visionaries and believers of an abundant future and inclusive economy) People declare these rights to be evident and fight for them to be a reality for every innovator, entrepreneur and creative! Innovation is a Right!
Right to Access & Education
Every entrepreneur shall have equal access to technological resources, education and innovation platforms.
Right to Equity
Innovators shall receive equitable support and resources, irrespective of their background, to eliminate the innovation gap.
Right to Ownership
Innovators have the right to ownership and protection of their intellectual property to encourage creativity and economic growth.
Right to Prosperous Legacy
Innovators have the right to create and contribute to a legacy of prosperity, wealth and sustainability through their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Right to Sustainable Innovation
Innovations should promote sustainability and the well-being of our planet for future generations.
Right to Community Support
Communities have the right to support local innovations that address their specific needs and challenges, including those connected to historical oppression.
Right to Data Integrity
Individuals have the right to weigh in on the ways data is impacting their lives, well-being and communities—and be included inmaterial decisionmaking concerning the presence of data within the digital present and future.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY