Minority Enterprise Development Week


National Minority Enterprise Development Week, also known as National MED Week, is a special week in the month of October, observed in the United States to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of the minority business enterprise community.

History

President Ronald Reagan first recognized National MED Week in 1983. Each year, every President of the United States officially recognizes National MED Week through a Presidential Proclamation. The week is formally celebrated each year by the Minority Business Development Agency, a U.S. government agency housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Observation by President Trump

President Donald Trump became the first President of the United States to formally recognize minority-owned businesses in the Oval Office during National MED Week, when he welcomed winners of the National MED Week Awards on October 24, 2017. On October 20, 2017, President Trump issued a proclamation to officially designate October 22 through October 28, 2017 as National Minority Enterprise Development Week.

Awards

The Minority Business Development Agency holds an awards ceremony each year during National MED Week to recognize the contributions of minority-owned businesses in a variety of industry categories. These awards include: