Honoring MLK Day and Black History Month: Dream Exchange Paves the Way for Economic Empowerment

CHICAGO, Jan. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The country will be commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 20th to be followed by celebrating Black History Month shortly thereafter. Through this timely lens, Dream Exchange, the first-ever minority-controlled stock exchange in formation in the history of the United States, is preparing to open doors and increase the economic equality among all communities and small businesses creating access to public markets for all through a registered stock exchange. Access to public markets to these underserved areas will increase further when the legislation known as the Main Street Growth Act ("MSGA") passes the United States Congress. The MSGA creates a new type of stock exchange designed to cater to early-stage companies and smaller businesses called a venture exchange.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy is rooted in the fight for equality—not only in civil rights but also in economic opportunity. With Dr. King's vision in mind, the Dream Exchange aims to bridge the gap of financial access faced by a large number of businesses in the country, many of which are minority-owned.

Since the 1990s, the number of small-to-mid-sized initial public offerings ("IPOs") has significantly declined, leaving many businesses without access to the public capital markets needed to grow. Today, only a tiny percentage of companies listed on exchanges are minority-owned showing that the divide is still being overlooked.

"Economic inequality remains one of the greatest barriers to achieving true equality in America," said Dream Exchange CEO Joe Cecala. "Dream Exchange was created to open doors that have long been closed, giving minority-owned businesses and other small enterprises the financial tools they need to thrive."

Joe Cecala recently appeared with Patrick Young on Exchange Invest to discuss the issues that inspired the founding of the Dream Exchange. That interview can be found here.

According to the IPO Task Force Report delivered to the Treasury Department in 2011 (which can be found here), research shows that from 1980 to 2005, firms less than five years old accounted for all net job growth in the U.S. and, in fact, 92% of job growth occurs after a company's initial public offering. However, without access to public capital markets, small businesses, and especially minority-owned businesses are often excluded from this growth potential. Once the MSGA is passed, the Dream Exchange plans to introduce its venture exchange, which will be designed to make public markets available to early-stage growth companies, fostering wealth creation and economic empowerment where it's needed most.

As we take time to reflect on our nation's history and on the history and contributions to America from the Black community, the Dream Exchange stands as a positive solution to the work yet to be done and it represents a critical step toward correcting imbalances in economic opportunities for the nation's small business community, especially minority-owned businesses.

About Dream Exchange

The Dream Exchange has submitted a preliminary draft of its application to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to become the first minority-controlled company to operate a licensed stock exchange in the history of the United States and is in the process of responding to comments from the SEC, as well as preparing its operations for when it receives approval. In addition, Dream Exchange is championing the creation of a new type of stock exchange called a venture exchange, which will list and trade the securities of smaller, early-stage companies. Dream Exchange's mission is to create equal access to a marketplace that instills ethics, humanity, and fairness into finance.

Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn for more.

MEDIA CONTACT
Jane Hayton
Chief Public Officer
(312) 882-2691

SOURCE Dream Exchange