“As soon as we asked to access their database of other Michigan minority-owned companies, they kicked us out from being a corporate member. When I contacted them to just help through what I thought was an obvious misunderstanding, they had explained that it was not a misunderstanding: Minority-owned companies cannot be corporate members,” Trevan said.
As such, Trevan said he is left wrestling with the “circular exclusion” on the part of the MMSDC.
“We are not permitted to be a corporate sponsor because in MMSDC’s judgment, we are minority owned, but MMSDC will not certify us as minority owned,” he said, adding “there’s just artificial or arbitrary obstacles that are being created for us to continue to help us promote our own values and access other diverse companies.”