'Who we are at our core': Native-owned business creates opportunities for underserved communities

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Nestled towards the end of a historic block along Southwest 25th Street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of OKC, one modest building in particular might be easy to miss.

But, day in and day out, Kendra Clements is at the helm of We The People Consulting, LLC, a 100% Native woman-owned, minority, and 2SLGBTQ+ operated company dedicated at helping traditionally underserved communities grow.

Clements said the name is an ode to the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, with an Oklahoma twist.

"We The People is used throughout our founding documents. However, in our founding documents also there are references to merciless Indian savages and 3/5 of a man. It was very intentional to make sure that We The People really meant ... inclusive ... equity. It lies at the center of the work that we do," she continued.

"We speak the languages of the communities that we work in [and] the dollar is not at the at the heart of the work that we do, nor is a one size fits all," she added.

"That is the commitment that we have is to our Black and brown communities [and] it's kind of who we are at our core. We're servants to our communities," she continued.

But, the economic impact adds up.

In 2022, minority-owned businesses produced more than $316 billion dollars in revenue and supported nearly 2 million U.S. jobs, according to the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Inc.

In addition to offerings in business, education, culture and government, the organization also offers Culture Hub, a community connection center with local partnerships, including the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and PeriodOKC.

We The People, in business since 2018, recently received the 8a certification from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Out of the 33.2 million small businesses in the United States, only 6,500 have achieved 8a certification.

Clements says the achievement is a "remarkable milestone" in the company's journey.

"This certification is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, as well as the unwavering support of our valued clients and partners. With this milestone achieved, we are eager to leverage our 8a certification to forge new collaborations and continue driving positive change in the communities we serve," she said.