Community leaders in Brooklyn gathered in front of a small business in Bed-Stuy to call for financial relief in order to save minority-owned businesses from shutting down. 

Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) gathered with minority-owned small business owners, Brooklyn elected officials and other community leaders in front of Life Wellness Center in hopes to bring more financial relief to minority-owned businesses. 

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the owner of Life Wellness Center Khadija Tudor, received a grant from LISC to help keep her doors open. 

"LISC really supported us because when all of the grants were coming out and everyone was sending us you know...apply for this...get this loan. We were inundated one, it was kind of confusing to get through all the process and a lot of the things we did apply to we didn't get through it,” said Tudor. 

Tudor said they used most of the funding for consulting so that she could make sure the business was protected and working as efficiently as possible, especially after the pandemic. 

The center offers massages, acupuncture and many herbs and wellness products at the front of the store. But after the pandemic, they had to pivot into other parts of wellness. 

She says she’s grateful for the support she’s received from LISC and other members of the community but hopes to see more help from other minority-owned businesses in the neighborhood.