Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

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Music 0:42
what's going on good

Dave Washington 0:49
day Las Vegas. Good day Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I'm Dave Washington, your host. And as we, many of us, know, this is Women's History Month, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention such women as surian Night pretty she's an ancestor. How about Dr Ruby Duncan, who's still around, who's such an integral part of our community in terms of activism and making people do the right thing, in terms of being respectful to women who were on welfare, she did a tremendous job. How about Virginia Brewster? She served on one of the early black members to serve on the school board for Clark County School District, and she did some good work there as well. So just wanted to acknowledge those women, and I would certainly be remiss if I didn't say something about my wife, who served on the State Board of Education, and by and by also served as a state senator for the state of Nevada. So just wanted to acknowledge those women. And once again, it's always important I feel to acknowledge birthdays, birthdays this month, and earnest, my brother in law, who was on the line that we'll talk to in a few moments, Yvonne gates, dolorese, Sean Jackson, Evelyn King, Sandy Charles James Payton, who was deceased, he's an ancestor now. Tyrone seals, Regina Jones, again. These are folks who have birthdays in this month, and certainly wanted to acknowledge them. Our guest today for the full show and last week's show, we had a military a military veteran, as well as a chief Travis Mac Travis from Clark County Fire. But today we're going to this is a plus side, and I kind of line to show up in such a way that if it was, it's always important to try to help veterans get their benefits, but it's also important, and this is the plus side that we're talking about today. Important to acknowledge and talk about things that are germane to our overall community. That being said, earnest was he's formerly the president and CEO of new ventures, CDC Capital Development Company, and I was the chairman of the board, and also marsh and I owned a four Plex on Jackson Street, and we had an organization which earnest counter. He was a project manager called the Jackson Avenue Merchants Association. It was if Shelby, I thought it was you earnest. But anyway, you can correct me if I'm wrong. But the bottom line, folks is, there's some things going on now that I've encouraged young brother Marcus to to get a whole earnest and talk to him, because I think it's important, because if we don't study our history, we will make the same mistakes. So I'm hoping if you guys haven't talked earnest, you will once again, I'd like to introduce Ernest fountain, who again, formerly the president and CEO, and he is my brother in law. So I like to always like to be transparent when I have a relative on but Ernest, I'd like to you to give some background on yourself from a formal education standpoint, as well as your experience in the whole fuel of assisting businesses get dollars from our federal government to better growth, to better grow their businesses, if you will,

Ernest Fountain 3:52
right? Yeah. Well, first of all, Chief, I want to thank you for inviting me to share. And one of the things you said is so significant is that we don't have no understanding about our history now and our history in this country, but we have no understanding about the history now in our communities, and that's why we keep reinventing the wheel, because we don't have no understanding about what is taking place, and don't know what type of strategies was being implemented by, you know, by our ancestors, to try to create opportunity for us. And so we start all over again, without, without sharing, without listening to the ones who came before us, following up on the historical things that have been done in order to, you know, put together a strategy that's going to be effective. So let me say this briefly about my background. You know, I'm not one of these people think that, you know, you got to go and get a degree right to be, become knowledgeable about, about, about anything you know, because it's just not true, right? Although I have, I have a master's degree, not in business administration. I have a bachelor degree in Business Administration, also with a minor in banking and finance. I have a social degree also in banking and finance from the American Institute of banking. But my actual I graduated from college in 19. 76 and started my banking career in 1976 and so I've been in this in this field, since 1976 you know, a new venture capital development company. This is one of the arms that we had, Bob Dr. Bob beta actually is who created netco, the Nevada economic development company, who actually had a contract with the US Department of Commerce to operate the Las Vegas Minority Business Development Center. That center was funded, you know, by the by the minority business development agencies that were created by the Nixon administration in 1969 it wasn't called MBDA or Minority Business Development Agency at that time, but in 1969 Richard Nixon, you know, indicated that in order to empower black people in this country, we have to create more black capitalists. So therefore we are going to, I'm going to executive order, I'm going to create Office of Minority Business Enterprise, which funded 100 centers across the country to provide ongoing management and technical assistance to, you know, to black businesses. First of all, manufacturing the San Francisco region. When I got involved with Bob, there were 26 centers in the San Francisco region. And of the 2619 was operated and ran by black, where about 75 about 80% of all the centers across the country was ran by black. But it was created for black people, you know, and because black people was the only group in this country that was deprived of being able to participate in our economic system, in our education system, from what they started in actually, in 1611 you know, when we were brought here as slaves in the Americas. But America wouldn't establish until, you know, until 1783 even, even though they claim, you know that 1776 is when we got our independence, but there was a revolutionary war took place from 1776 72 um, 1783 in September, 17 83 when it when the British gave up. And that's when America got their independence, but at that point in time, they enslaved black people in this country, so black folks was enslaved again, from 1783 all the way through 1918, 65 when the Emancipation Proclamation was passed, but they might Emancipation Proclamation and then freedom about it, they outlawed slavery in 1866 through the 13th Amendment, then the 14th Amendment, saying, made us all, made us all, made black folks citizens. Okay, so then we were segregated from 1865 to 1965 not, still not allowed to participate effectively in the system. That's the reason why we last in every economic category in the country, because we wouldn't deny, we wouldn't deny the opportunity to participate in this system that's called capitalism and now academicism. So everything that our ancestors were passed down to us, it was passed down to white people. So these, this is, this is significant, but let me commit him. Go back to what I was saying about, about Dr Bob Bob Bailey. Because Dr Bob Bailey, you know, was he graduated from, from Morehouse University, was what used to be leading Singapore account basin and through the entertainment. But he was a very, very well educated. He brought money, helped bring to bring Martin Luther King into Las Vegas on the civil rights era. And so he was a Republican. And let me make myself clear to the audience, I'm not a Republican or Democrat. I've been voting nonpartisan since 1972 I have no religion to any party, right? But I'm only going by the historical facts and so, so, so, my point, so, since Bob was directly tied to the public party, you know, he was able to go, and I think, I think was in 1980 1979 and he was able to get the goods Department of Commerce to put together a study of for the West Las Vegas community. That area, Jackson Street, East Street, D Street, the whole area used to be a thriving area back in the old days, you know. And so he convinced them to pay $35,000 to have a marketing study put together for the purpose of seeing what would have to be done in order to make that area compatible to the downtown in this trip, so they could tap into us at least 10 to 15% of the tourism market, right? So they put together a excellent study. One of the top marketing firms in the United States put together this study, and it identified all of the the different mixes of businesses had to be put into the area, a beautification program, you know, all types of stuff that, and so that. So Bob started, naturally, trying to get funding to implement those strategies that was laid out in that marketing study. And so one of the things was that he got a contract with the with the City of Las Vegas, which is called the neighborhood commercial revitalization project. And that project was originally rose. McKinney James was the original project director of for that project. And then Shelby Givens after rose, then Shelby Givens became the project director for that particular contract that we had, matter of fact, that that program was going very, very well, because we able to secure funding from from the city, through EDA and through hood to provide financing to the businesses in the area. And so we made loans for facade renovation Bob and actually and Rose actually went to, you know, Baltimore, and went to some other black communities, largely black communities, and looked at what they were doing in those areas in order to revitalize their communities. So one of the things that they did, they created a downtown redevelopment agency and create a theme for the infinite, for the entire areas, and was trying to create funding for that. So they so most a. Had a redevelopment agency. They got industrial revenue bonds to fund it. It was coming from the state. So anyway, so when Rose and Bob came back, they tried to get that same thing, you know, instituted through the city of Las Vegas. So they submitted the plan through the to the city, and what the city of Las Vegas did is they thought it wasn't a good idea, and so they did. The city council rejected it, and then probably about a year, about a year and a half later, the city council then approved it to create a redevelopment agency using industrial revenue bonds and left West Las Vegas out of the plan.

Dave Washington 10:33
Ernest, do you recall approximately what year that was? Approximately that

Ernest Fountain 10:36
was probably me, see me. She was rolls with me. She rolls of it. Nothing, 80. I mean, 83 just rolls that probably eight, between eight probably 83 probably 1983 you know. And because it got to be between 83 and 84 Okay, 83 because we we got our we became approved by the SBA in 1984 even though we submitted our application in 1982 and so I work with roles like 19 only for a short period of time, because she left, and then she started working for the for the city of Las Vegas, right and start working with them, on their on their, on us. They did a CDC that they were funding right over the state sees. I think it was this the state CDC. It was one of the CDC, right? It was given from giving money to sure, you know. But

Dave Washington 11:24
once again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz more, I have earnest fountain, former president and CEO of new ventures, capital development company. So go ahead earnest, and he's given us some insight on what's going what they are proposing down on Jackson Street. And earnest, had the experience from us with new ventures as Shelby Givens, was, you say? Was the project manager of the Jackson of Jama? Jama the Jackson Avenue Merchants Association?

Ernest Fountain 11:51
Well, no, not Jackson Avenue merchants No, no, the Jackson Avenue Merchants Association was a Association formed by the merchants in that area, okay? And Reverend, Reverend, oh my god,

Dave Washington 12:04
so you was so, so you were just giving us technical advice, because I remember you helping to run some of those meetings. I thought,

Ernest Fountain 12:11
well, yes, see Reverend Robinson, that's who it was. I'm sorry, yes, Sam Roberson, right? He was, he was the president of the Jackson merchant Association. But loves cocktail lounge town, you know, community store, you know, all those, all those firms, companies, were involved in the Jackson merchant Association. And, matter of fact, as we as we got some funding and start making loans to those businesses and renovating the buildings. You know, things start really moving up. And, I mean, they start bringing in bus loads of tourists from from from California. They started having a lot more entertainment, bringing in Bobby Blaine and people like that. And it was jumping in that area. And so, you know, they because they didn't expect it to be successful, be honest with you, right? And so a couple things happen, you know, naturally, somebody got shot in there. But that wasn't the main thing that happened. The main thing that happened is that the city, the city Sheriff's Department did a sting operation over there in regards to food stamps. And so a lot of some of the merchants got arrested, you know, for allowing people to come in and use food stamps, you know, to purchase or, you know, a restaurant food, right? And so they had them all on television, man, and they put them on bus all and chains and all this. And Sandy man, to try to destroy the credibility of the area. So that's one of the, one of the things that happened then Bob and Mayor prayer went out of town, you know, to try to raise whether to make presentations. What's his name? Oh, my God. Greg Morrison and Bob and mayor went out of town to make presentations to black business people in New Orleans and Kansas City and Atlanta. And while they were out of town, the city council voted not to renew the contract. And you

Dave Washington 13:49
and you see, you see Greg Morris, that's the movie, the submission. Impossible. Yeah, right, okay,

Ernest Fountain 13:55
right for Mission Impossible, right? Because he was a narrator of the video that was put together to try to sell it silly up the concept, because this study has shown that with a certain merchant mix, they could actually that area could actually tap into 10% of the tourism market to start bringing tourism. And so when we start bringing in bus they start bringing in bus loads. Or people love cocktail. Loves cocktail. Loud in town, taransaw, bringing them busloads of people today from California, right? And so it was, it was, like, I say it was, it was really, it was, it was really going great. It was really going great. And see

Dave Washington 14:31
your knowledge and background of this is so important, and that's why I told you, I definitely want you to speak to Marcus, and I've given him your number and vice versa, because if they're not careful and don't be squeaky clean, I don't even know the format. I have no idea. All I heard was, there's a project going on on Jackson Street. And I'm like, man, if these cats, because these guys are junior to us by several years, man, if they don't talk to earnest, who has some. A thorough background on what occurred. They're gonna mess around, and he's just gonna be stumbling and from and I'm not trying to put anybody down, because I know people, oh, Dave Washington, don't know what he talking about. He just jealous because they couldn't make it happen. But there was a reason why we couldn't make it happen. You know, that's crazy. Yeah, I don't I don't really care much about what people say about me, and because I'm in the fight for the good man, and I know that the only thing that's going to take care of us is us by us, if we don't take care of ourselves. Men, you can't forget about it. And everybody whining and crying. I ain't crying about 47 I'm just doing what I can do to ensure that the program that I'm the president of nonprofit 501, c3 in fact, we working on our reinstatement now the Carl homes, executive development institute, man, we're doing phenomenal things in terms of getting people in the system, and they're getting promoted earnest, in large numbers. And I put, I put our program up against any, any other program that does fire service, leadership and management training. I put our program up against any of them out there, and a lot of them, they've taken and, you know, executive development, that's a term that can be executive development institute. It's a term that can be used by anyone, the only thing they can't use. And I keep telling them, we gotta, we gotta franchise, not franchise, but trademark. And I know Gene Sun is an attorney. He says hard to get personal names trademark. But I'm gonna tell you those other programs they they can never be ours. Earnest, because what you get at Dillard University. And we were started out at Florida A and M and then when Katrina hit, we went over to Clark, Atlanta. But we've been, we've been at Dillard now for for 22 years, 23 years. Man, right, and I'm telling you, there's no program like ours, man, the interaction that people get, but people try to put us down, man, and they say this and that, and we just and the difference between us is we never put down. See, it was started by blacks for blacks, but anybody can come. Carl Holmes said, Dr Holmes said, we are not going to discriminate against others like they've done us. We ain't. We have not lost our humanity, earnest. And some people, they still try to put us down. But anyway, I think it's so important, and I'm gonna shake Marcus chain again. Hey, Mel, you need a car earnest. Man, you need to reach out to him, because if you don't, man, again, in pitfalls that we continue to go through. Man, it makes no sense. And see, sometimes people pride in ego. Man, I ain't never been too proud to talk to anyone about something that I'm trying to do and I don't know how to do it. Guess what I'm gonna do? I'm calling somebody to try to help me. I remember when I went the first time, Moose Morris arbery asked me to run this campaign. I ain't know nothing about that. Yes, if the opposition would have saw me remembering in the old Ruby Duncan villain that where the library used to be on Jackson and D street. They saw me coming out with 10 books in my hands on how to run a campaign. But anyway, I'm just rallying Go ahead. No,

Ernest Fountain 17:49
I was able to let me know with the National I'm definitely gonna call Marcus, because first of all, I'm familiar with just about every financing tool that's out there, and so the I have no confidence at all that the the city or the state or the federal government is going to come up with any kind of program that's going to effectively help us to compete against them now that those programs they do create is to help them, and they are in white America is the beneficiary of all these programs. If you go and look at the SBA programs, you know, about 85% of all SBA loans goes to white people. They don't go to black people. And the program is never, was never set up for black people. If you look at their small business development development centers, you know, they have 1000 small business development centers, 997, ran by white college, but only three of but,

Dave Washington 18:42
but you told me something the other day that that I wasn't aware of. Was it Reagan? It was Reagan or Nixon? You said they specifically put the program initially together to help blacks raise up through the business and capitalism,

Ernest Fountain 18:55
etc. That was Nixon that created the Office of Minority Business Enterprises. Then in July, July, on July 14, 1983 Ronald Reagan signed an executive order requiring that all federal agencies were to put together a goals program for minority business, but specifically for black businesses. And so that's why in 19 in July of 1983 and that's the reason why Dr Bailey was putting together those those conferences. Because those conferences, we put together the biggest minority conferences for 10 years, but the majority of people that was coming to those conferences were black, and the majority of people benefited from those conferences were black. But it was coming from all across the country, and all the federal agency was giving us money to put on these, put on these, on these conferences, because, since Bob was running the law statements on the Business Development Center, the agency, the those, those, those federal agencies, had to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the minor Business Development Agency to implement the strategy approved by by the Reagan administration. Right? And so, if you look at the Black Enterprise magazine in 1985 and 1986 the top black businesses out of the top 100 black business in this country, 35 or more contractors. Because the largest black business in this country was a company called a maximum corporation that was owned by a guy named Joshua Smith, who received a big another contract, I think, was through the Department of Navy, Army, one of those. Remember, it was one of them. But the top 35 black business in this country were contractors because of that legislation passed by executive order signed into by Ronald Reagan, and most folks don't even know that. Is that I'm saying it just is saying that we don't have no history of nothing. Then, then the ADA program was given a whole lot more strength. He appointed some Ronald Reagan. They had appointed a black guy, I forgot his name. I think his last name was bail, to to, to to, you know, to run that program. Right? That program became very, very effective. Because what the what the Small Business Administration would do under the AA program, they would go out into into agreements, contractual agreements, with federal agencies, and have work performed. And then they would use the AA recipients as their, as their, as their subcontractors. They would enter a contract with the SBA and sa will use those black, owned or Hispanic owned companies, most of us, black, as I said, across the country, to perform the work. And the program was very, very effective. And so and the reason why the program is not effective now is because they change how the program works, right? And so that's what I'm saying, is be good for people who are involved in contracting to understand the history of the contracting program, what was successful and why not as successful as it was in the past. So we can, you know, at least solicit out legislators, congressmen and senators. That's right, to make sure that that stuff is being implemented, absolutely. But I don't know. Man, Democrats, the Democrats. I have no idea what they thinking of it all. Just recently, I'll just read it today. I don't think that's voted against. I'm sorry,

Dave Washington 21:58
earnest. I don't think that they're thinking at all. Once again Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. I have the former president and CEO of new ventures Capital Development Company. Earnest fountain on just giving us some insight on things that have occurred, particularly as we hear about young folks embarking upon taking some action and getting some movement down on Jackson Street. Go

Ernest Fountain 22:20
ahead. Earnest, sorry, anything they trying to do on Jackson Street. The reason why, you know, the Asians are not going to the city or going to the county or going to the state to develop anything, because they got their own banks. I mean, there are four banks right there, over where it was, four banks over there.

Dave Washington 22:38
Let me stop you, right here. You remember at least four or five, I'm thinking minimum, between three and five years ago. I said, earnest, some young folks, and I won't call no names, and I'm not trying to embarrass anyone. I said, Man, they want to, they want to get a credit union going. They want to do a bank. You said, no credit union. We will be less trouble for them to get going. You said, I don't have the I don't have the data or the process, you said, tell them to get a hold of Doyle agreeing. I got the stuff, got it to them, and guess what? Here we are in 2025 no action has been taken. See, people talk a good talk. Talk a good game. But, man, if you ain't bringing your bricks, as Karen hunter would say, and others, if you ain't bringing your bricks, man, see, we were all working earnest, trying to make a better way for for our communities to include opening up a convenience store and people jealous won't come, won't buy the gas because they said, earnest driving Alexis, Dave Washington Marshall drive Mercedes bees. That was from our jobs. One from that store. We never got paid. Are you kidding me? Right? But anyway, some of the disturbing things when they want to know. Man, we ain't got nothing to hide. Come and talk to us. But anyway, you know,

Ernest Fountain 23:45
you know, that's why I think God has always blessed us, because we were sincerely trying to do everything we could to strengthen our community. We formed the credit union. Everybody went to the credit union is black. All of our staff at the at the at the convenience store was black. You know, all our staff at New Ventures was black, you know. And people don't know, you know, a new ventures, you know? Well, first of all, Bob, Bob and Bob had become a couple of things that he was doing other than just netco. He had new ventures Inc, and they had a contract with the department transportation. They actually certified, but on the business for the Department of Transportation. So he that contract about 21 years, and then after, after, after, he let the contract go with the with NBA, then new adventures went along, came along and, well, the same the San Francisco regional office actually called us and asked us to build on the contract. They want to put another center in Las Vegas. So we bid on the contract, and we got the contract and ran that center, also providing ongoing management technical assistance of Northern businesses, and just trying to help our people and trying to share the knowledge that God had given us, and that's right, and give, and trying to share the space that he placed us in. It gave us excessive knowledge and information that could help strengthen our community. Absolutely, I do as much. Be good to try to pass it into the community.

Dave Washington 25:01
You know, earnest our friend Frank Hawkins, I said, Frank, because they came up with this thing that was going to they gave 10 contracts to those who've been in trouble as it relates to cannabis, marijuana. I said, are they going to train them? Frank? He said, No. I said, Frank, this, this program gonna fail. He said, I know. He said, I in fact, think it was designed that way. So again, once again, if you're serious. Man, I'm talking about state, federal government now city government, if you're serious. And if somebody don't know if you're serious, you'll try to help them through some kind of training. Man, but some of these folks don't have a clue, and they're gonna fail, and nothing is happening with some of these folks earnest, because they've won. Didn't have no money. They have they have a clue. They just had been in trouble, you know, with the street running of drugs, and they think they can do it earnest. We got about two minutes once again. This is Veterans Affairs plus or 91.5 jazz and more. So give us some closing remarks, because I think this is important, and this show will air this Saturday, no Saturday after next. I'm sorry, we got another show that'll come before that. Go ahead earns. Give us some closing remarks. What

Ernest Fountain 26:02
we need to do is to rely on people who have extensive experience and knowledge to go see first of all, First, I need to recognize that we are ignorant. That's why, because ignorance just means lack of knowledge, right? So if I need to get my Power Pad, I'm going to a Karma can. If I need to go to a doctor, I'm going to a doctor. I'm saying if I need something done with my air conditioning or some repairs in my house, I'm going to specialize in that there's the same thing here. All we got to rely on one another. You know, I'm saying because the body of God is not just 111, person. It's a combination of all of us that have different functions in our anybody to make it work. We got thinking our community in the old days. You understand we're talking about, you know, you got the community is what, what builds, what keeps the community strong, is all individuals in any community we see that we see that rely on one another, everybody's expertise and knowledge, especially those of us who are still sincere and still got our family together that can share information with you that's going to help you to maneuver through the process.

Dave Washington 26:56
Alright, well, I appreciate that Ernest and hopefully you and Marcus, if you don't get together by the time this show airs, I'm gonna make sure I send him a copy of it once he goes to podcast. Earnest, my brother in law, thank you so much, man, and I hope that this will help some folks out in our community. Love and appreciate you, man, and we'll be in touch. All right, thanks, man. Signing off. See you next week. Thanks. West For all you do, my friend. Hey,

Music 27:52
alone, all the smoke in the air till they hate when they stare, all the pain that we bear, all you bear.