Main Street Alliance Welcomes Richard Trent as New Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9th, 2024
CONTACT
press@mainstreetalliance.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Main Street Alliance (MSA), the national advocacy network for small business owners, is excited to announce the appointment of Richard Trent as its new Executive Director. With a dynamic career spanning 14+ years in community organizing, Richard brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to propel MSA's mission forward.
A Focus on Coalitions
The professional arc of Richard’s career bends towards an understanding that broad grassroots coalitions are key for notching organizing and policy wins—especially in a political realm where popular sentiment is regularly stifled by corporate largesse.
As Executive Director of Friends of Anacostia Park, Richard oversaw one of the east coast’s largest environmental justice coalitions—one that drew in nearly $20 million in federal resources towards the restoration of a long-languishing national park. At Friends of Island Academy, Richard supported fundraising and organizing for the Raise the Age campaign that ended youth detention at Rikers Island. With Higher Achievement, an extended learning program for middle school youth, Richard led the establishment of new “achievement centers” in Richmond, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
In the last two years, Richard’s organizing focus has turned to equitable development and the health of American communities. He has served as a spokesman for REI’s Outside in 5 health advocacy campaign and as a speaker at Bloomberg/Aspen Institute’s CityLab—where he discussed the promise green workforce development holds for revitalizing rural and urban areas.
Richard’s experience has shown him how small business owners inform equitable community development across the country. He is excited to bring his collaborative mindset and coalition-building experience to the small business advocacy space.
Main Street Alliance's Ongoing Commitment to Small Business Owners
As Richard comes onboard, MSA is intensifying its advocacy for a level business playing field —as small business owners (SBOs) face the tripartite challenges of monopolization, the erosion of the care economy, and the proliferation of regressive tax policy. Those challenges are amplified in a high interest rate environment that makes it difficult for SBOs to access capital to grow their businesses. Richard recognizes that without an intentioned collaboration between main street SBOs, the philanthropic sector, and elected leaders, corporations will continue siphoning off American prosperity while evading fiscal responsibility. To fight back, MSA is excited to leverage recent victories—such as the landmark win of Paid Leave in Minnesota—to continue building its movement for an economy that is equitable and competitive for owners and employees.
Reflecting on his new role, Richard Trent shared his vision for advancing the
mission of Main Street Alliance: "I am honored to join Main Street Alliance, an organization that knows America is at its best when small businesses can compete on a level playing field and uplift our economy. As we stand at the crossroads of economic recovery and reform, our collective efforts will focus on dismantling barriers to small business success while fostering an environment that ensures Main Street America thrives. Small businesses give our urban and rural communities their character, so we are committed to elevating the voices of our nation’s small business owners so that they drown out the corporate voices that have been guiding economic policy for too long."
MSA and its members are enthusiastic about Richard's arrival on the team—and the sense of possibility he brings to this work. With our Main Street partners, we are excited to move forward with renewed vigor—ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead for America's small businesses.
For further information, interviews, or comments, please contact:
press@mainstreetalliance.org
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About Main Street Alliance
Main Street Alliance is a membership organization that brings together small businesses passionate about advocating for issues vital to their businesses, employees, and the communities they serve. Our overarching goal is to cultivate a formidable, self-sustaining, and diverse small business membership organization. Together, we aim to reshape the economic narrative, harness political influence, and achieve meaningful policy reforms that benefit small business owners, employees, and communities at large.