Dunbar Pavilion Launches New Business Empowerment Center.

A historic landmark in Arizona’s Black American community has begun a new phase of economic empowerment. The Dunbar Pavilion has officially opened a Business Empowerment Center aimed at helping entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, collaborate, and access essential resources.

Located in Tucson, the center converts part of the Pavilion’s historic campus into a professional space. This is for both aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Especially those owning Black businesses, to develop the skills and connections they need to thrive. Community leaders believe this initiative blends historical preservation with future-focused economic growth.

A Historic Space Reimagined for Economic Opportunity

The Business Empowerment Center is the result of a $1.1 million renovation. It will transform portions of the Pavilion into co-working areas, meeting rooms, and shared workspaces designed for small businesses and startups.

Once the site of Tucson’s only segregated school for Black students, the Dunbar campus now symbolizes change. It is repurposed to support economic growth and entrepreneurial development within the community.

“This space has been carefully rebuilt, piece by piece,” said Freda Marshall, the Pavilion’s executive director, during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to reports. “Our goal was not to erase the history but to honor it while creating a place that meets today’s small businesses and entrepreneurs’ needs.”

The center addresses one of the biggest challenges for small businesses: access to affordable workspaces and practical business guidance.

A Hub for Learning, Collaboration, and Growth

Inside the center, entrepreneurs will find shared workspaces, conference rooms, and areas intended for workshops and mentorship programs. These resources aim to help founders move from initial ideas to fully operational businesses.

Marshall highlighted that the center will offer educational programs. These programs will cover essential aspects of entrepreneurship, from writing business plans to obtaining funding and understanding regulations.

“The internet is good. Google is good, but sometimes you need real experts,” Marshall explained. “You need subject matter experts to teach people and train people and show people how to legally operate their business.”

By bringing entrepreneurs into a shared environment, the Pavilion hopes to create a collaborative space where founders can share ideas, resources, and form strategic partnerships.

“I think people work better when they see other people working and they’re able to bounce ideas off one another,” Marshall added.

Federal Support and Community Investment

The project received funding partly through a Community Development Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Tucson.

Local leaders view this investment as part of a larger effort to strengthen minority entrepreneurship and support community-driven economic growth.

Among those present at the opening was U.S. Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who emphasized the importance of the initiative and its long-term value for the region’s small business landscape.

“I can’t wait to see the projects, investments, businesses that come out of this space,” she said.

Grijalva also pointed out that the project builds on efforts by the late Congressman Raúl Grijalva, who helped secure the federal funding that made the renovation possible.

“It’s a culmination of a lot of work, decades of work,” she said

From Segregated School to Engine of Opportunity

The Dunbar Pavilion carries a rich historical legacy. Established in 1913 as the Dunbar School, it served as Tucson’s segregated school for African American students for many years before integration in the mid-20th century.

Today, the campus has been revamped into a cultural and community center dedicated to celebrating African American heritage while promoting education, the arts, and economic opportunity.

The launch of the Business Empowerment Center continues this mission—linking history with modern entrepreneurship and ensuring the next generation of innovators has the tools they need to succeed.

Building the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Leaders at the Pavilion see the center as a starting point for entrepreneurs who may not yet have a storefront or office. With access to workspace, mentorship, and training, participants can develop their businesses before eventually expanding into independent locations.

Organizers aim for a simple but powerful goal: to create a pathway for successful businesses that will strengthen both the local economy and the broader Black entrepreneurial community.

For many in the community, the center means more than just a workspace; it symbolizes resilience and progress.

As Marshall stated, the initiative is to ensure that “the next generation of entrepreneurs has a permanent place to grow.”