For seven years, Guilford County government has had an MWBE (Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises) Department  – a department that offered support and preference to those types of businesses.  However, that department has suddenly and quietly been disappeared like it was a tattooed immigrant who slapped Kristi Noem.

Looking through the Guilford County manager’s proposed fiscal 2025-2026 budget, the MWBE Department is nowhere to be found.

However, there is suspiciously a brand new department with a new name and that department looks almost identical to the former Guilford County MWBE Department: It has the same director, the same employees and seems to perform all of the same functions.

 In the Guilford County manager’s recommended budget for fiscal 2025-2026, the “new” entity is named the “Guilford County’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department.”

Guilford County government has a long history of working hard to increase its number of contracts and business dealings with minority- and women-owned businesses. In the early part of this century, that job was overseen by an assistant purchasing director and, then, about a decade ago, a dedicated employee was hired for that purpose and, later, the county formed an entire MWBE Department bloomed into a department with more than a half dozen employees and a budget of over $1.5 million a year.

When Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston was asked the reason for the change, he responded, “To be politically correct at a time when trying to be inclusive is a crime.”

When asked in a text if the political attacks from the White House on everything connected with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts had anything to do with the change, Alston texted back.  “lol. I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

Given the political environment and the dependency of Guilford County on federal money, it would be understandable if the county were trying to hide its MWBE office with a magical presto change-o move.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order when he took office “Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”

Part of that reads as follows…

“The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs within the Department of Labor shall immediately cease:

(A)  Promoting “diversity”;

(B)  Holding Federal contractors and subcontractors responsible for taking ‘affirmative action’; and

(C)  Allowing or encouraging Federal contractors and subcontractors to engage in workforce balancing based on race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin.

The national law firm of Husch Blackwell, which often advises local governments, wrote recently that Trump’s executive order has the potential for “wide-ranging impacts on local government policies and programs” related to MWBE efforts and any programs that fall under the category of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Here’s some advice from that firm: “Local governments should ensure that any existing minority and women owned business enterprise and similar programs are currently compliant with any constitutional, state, or local requirements. While such programs remain legal, contracts that incorporate a local MWBE component and also rely on federal funding may face additional scrutiny by the federal government. Conducting a compliance review of your current diversity-related contracting program now will facilitate the ability to comply with future certifications and contract terms.”

The Trump administration’s new leaders have been conducting word searches for key phrases in the language of diversity in federal departments and removing anything that looks like DEI. For instance, after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took over in that role, the Department of Defense removed a huge amount of content during a “DEI purge.”  Some images and text that were eliminated involved the Enola Gay aircraft.  Pictures of the B-29 plane, including those related to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, were removed because the file names included the word “gay.”

Images of individuals with the last name “Gay” were also flagged for removal, highlighting the broad and indiscriminate scope of the keyword search. Some images were removed due to the presence of words like “bias” and “female.”

So, when it comes to dealing with the Trump administration, Guilford County no doubt wants to keep their head low.  Even having an MWBE Department could be a problem under the current administration. Even if that office is operating legally, it could draw the ire of Trump officials and cost the county perhaps millions in federal grants or contracts.

Trump did not like some choices made by Harvard University and, as has been well publicized, that school could end up costing the institution tens of billions of dollars.

While “MWBE” would certainly raise flags in the trump administration, Guilford County’s “Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department” sounds innocuous.  Hopefully for the people of Guilford County, the ruse will work.

Here is the stated purpose of the MWBE Department in the budget that was adopted last June, in the Biden era:

“Guilford County’s MWBE Department is designed to advocate for Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) businesses and provide equal access to opportunities to participate in all aspects of the County’s contracting and procurement programs, which include: Professional Services; Goods and Other Services; and Construction. The department is dedicated to the success of minority and women owned businesses.”

The description of the former department also states that the Guilford County MWBE Department shall:

  • Provide greater information, service, and responsiveness to MWBEs,
  • Increase communication between Guilford County Departments & MWBEs,
  • Proactively seek diverse suppliers

In the new proposed budget, the language has changed.

“Guilford County’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department is designed to advocate for small businesses and provide equal access to opportunities to participate in all aspects of the County’s contracting and procurement programs, which include professional services, goods, and other services, as well as construction. The department is dedicated to the success of all small businesses in our community.”

Shaunne Thomas, who is extremely devoted to getting more diversity into Guilford County contracts and services, is still the department director, and the other half dozen or so staff no doubt remain the same.

In early June, the county announced an upcoming event for the new department.  It makes it clear that the new department will continue carrying out much if not all of the mission of the former MWBE Department. Here is the latest announcement out of that department:

“The Guilford County Small Business and Entrepreneurship Department and NC Cooperative Extension – Guilford County Center are partnering with Triad Black Faith Leaders, Black Farmers Network, and East Greensboro NOW for the Juneteenth Triad Farmers Market at the Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA in Greensboro. The farmers market will be held on Thursday, June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature minority farmers offering fresh, locally grown produce and meat. The event will also showcase live music and performances, craft vendors, and local food trucks. There is no admission fee to attend the farmers market.”

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