Congresswoman Maxine Waters Joined Entrepreneur Ron Gibson to Relaunch The Level Up Store
Congresswoman Maxine Waters shared her community Project Funding Grant to provide technical assistance and access to capital for small businesses. Congresswoman Maxine Waters gets the job done by showing an example of her Community Project Funding Grant for technical assistance and access to capital for micro and small businesses yielding major success in the community.
By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer
(LOS ANGELES, CA) — Congresswoman Maxine Waters shared her community Project Funding Grant to provide technical assistance and access to capital for small businesses. Congresswoman Maxine Waters gets the job done by showing an example of her Community Project Funding Grant for technical assistance and access to capital for micro and small businesses yielding major success in the community.
Congresswoman Waters held the press conference at Ron Gibson’s The Level Up Store in Inglewood, on Friday, February 22, 2025. DJ OoooWcE provided the soundtrack for the gathering. An enthusiastic crowd witnessed the occasion on a bright sunny day in the City of Champions.
CAMEO Network CEO Carolina Martinez; Jhamasa Lewis Adams-Macedonia CDC); The Level Up Store owner, Ron Gibson; Congresswoman Maxine Waters; Mission Valley Bank President and CEO Tamara Gurney; Macedonia Community Development Bank Executive Director Alejandro “Alex” Guerrero; and Tara Lynn Gray, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
In 2023, Ron, with his savings, and a secured $3,000.00 credit card, had no line of credit and was declined by several banks for a small business loan to provide cutting-edge brand and off-brand clothing for (hip) culture. After intense one-on-one sessions with Macedonia CDC staff, preparing financial documents, and telling The Level Up Store story, Ron was able to secure the capital needed in the form of a loan from Mission Valley Bank, to finish the remodel of his brick-and-mortar store and fill it with inventory.
The Level Up Store: A Fashion Haven in Inglewood. Shoppers can explore unique styles and vibrant fashion, a must-visit clothing destination for trendsetters. 1437 Centinela Avenue, Inglewood, CA. 90302
Ron explained, “I was sitting on the curb in front of The Level Up Store when I saw a car make a U-turn and stop in front of me. It was Congresswoman Maxine Waters who wanted to introduce herself to me. By the end of the conversation, she understood I needed working capital but could not get approved for a loan. Then she said Macedonia CDC will help you and here I am, buying the inventory I need.”
Speakers at the press conference included Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Level up Store Owner Ron Gibson; Macedonia CDC Executive Director Alejandro “Alex” Guerrero; Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) Tara Lynn Gray; and CAMEO Chief Executive Officer Carolina Martinez, and Mission Valley Bank President and CEO Tamara Gurney.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters said, “Ron is my star! He did what he had to do to get his first bank loan. I’m looking for change, and Level Up is a good entry that helps close this wealth gap.”
“Businesses like The Level Up Store are great reminders of why California is committed to investing in entrepreneurs,” said Tara Lynn Gray, Director of the California Office of Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). “When small businesses have the resources, they need to grow, they create jobs, build wealth, and strengthen our communities. California remains focused on closing gaps and removing barriers so that every small business owner can reach their full economic potential.”
Through the HUD Office of Community Planning and Development, Congressional Grants Division, Congresswoman Maxine Waters facilitated a One Million Dollar multi-year grant to Macedonia Community Development Corporation. The Macedonia CDC, a non-profit organization, is based in the Watts section of Los Angeles to provide one-on-one technical assistance to prepare micro and small businesses in South Los Angeles to receive access to capital to grow their businesses.
Additional support for the work Macedonia CDC is doing has come from The United States Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program to support small businesses and entrepreneurship in communities across the United States by providing capital and technical assistance to promote small business stability, growth, and success. The California Office of the Small Business Advocate, and CAMEO, California’s statewide micro-business network is made up of over 400 organizations, agencies, and individuals dedicated to furthering Micro-Business development in California.
Alejandro “Alex” Guerrero, Macedonia Community Development Corporation Executive Director said, “We believe we can provide advanced solutions that help businesses and individuals succeed in today’s ever-changing world. Our solutions are designed to make life easier, more efficient, and more productive.”
About Macedonia Community Development Corporation (“Macedonia CDC”)
Macedonia Community Development Corporation is helping to transform the Watts community and surrounding areas from the fringes of marginalization into vibrant, healthy communities. Founded in 2015, the Macedonia CDC, a non-profit community organization, has expanded to meet community needs in three distinct program areas – local economic development, health and wellbeing, and youth empowerment. Macedonia CDC also provides a micro and small business loan program available in specific communities through a partnership with the City of Los Angeles. For more information visit, www.macedoniacdc.org
About Cameo Network- Cameo Network is California’s statewide micro-business network made up of 400 organizations, agencies, and individuals dedicated to furthering Micro-Business development in California with small and micro-business financing such as loans and credit, technical assistance, and business management training. Annually, CAMEO Network members serve about 200,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance, and loans. These firms are largely start-ups with less than six employees and support or create 300,000 new jobs in California and generate a total of $15 billion in economic activity.
