Front-Page Coverage Highlights Coalition’s Growing Influence in New York Economic and Political Affairs
NEW YORK — May 14, 2026 — The newly formed Multicultural Business Coalition (MBC) — co-founded by the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce — received major coverage in today’s New York Post, including a prominent inside feature highlighting the coalition’s emergence as a powerful advocacy voice speaking up for New York City business owners and protecting small businesses.
The article focused on the coalition’s growing opposition to New York City’s controversial proposal to create taxpayer-backed grocery stores, an initiative many neighborhood merchants and immigrant-owned business operators fear could unfairly compete with existing bodegas, supermarkets, and small businesses already facing rising costs, inflation, labor pressures, regulatory burdens, and permitting delays.
According to the Post, the coalition has rapidly emerged as one of the city’s most organized multicultural business alliances, bringing together a broad network of ethnic chambers of commerce, immigrant business leaders, supermarket operators, trade groups, and neighborhood organizations under one coordinated umbrella.
The newspaper reported that the coalition includes participation from African, Asian, Caribbean, Hispanic, Jewish, and Middle Eastern business communities — representing what many described as one of the first times such a broad coalition of multicultural business organizations has united around shared economic advocacy and public policy concerns.
The article specifically referenced coalition leadership and participants including Frank Garcia, identified as chairman of the coalition effort, along with Duvi Honig, Founder & CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce , Co Founder andSecretary of the coalition. The Post also highlighted involvement from former New York Assistant Attorney General and now the appointed President of the coalition Ken Roland, who was reported to be reviewing possible legal strategies related to the proposed city-run grocery initiative.
According to the report, coalition members raised concerns involving delayed building permits, lengthy environmental review processes, increased operating expenses, unfair taxpayer-backed competition, and broader economic policies impacting neighborhood merchants and working families throughout New York City.
The Post further reported that coalition organizations are actively engaging elected officials and policymakers across the region. The article referenced recent coalition-related outreach involving New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Congressman George Latimer, city officials, and additional civic and business leaders.
The newspaper also noted that the coalition’s rapid growth comes only days after its official formation and already includes participation from more than 50 chambers of commerce and multicultural business organizations representing businesses across New York and beyond.
“This coalition was created to bring diverse business communities together under one umbrella so our neighborhoods, merchants, and working families have a stronger and more coordinated voice,” said Duvi Honig, Founder & CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce and Co-Founder & Secretary of the Multicultural Business Coalition. “For too long many communities advocated separately despite facing many of the same economic challenges. The MBC was built to unite those voices around shared priorities involving economic opportunity, fairness, business growth, and protecting small businesses.”
Honig added that the coalition’s broader mission extends beyond any single issue and focuses on strengthening partnerships between business communities, government leaders, and the private sector while advancing economic development, small business empowerment, and neighborhood stability across New York, New Jersey, the broader Tri-State area, and nationwide.
Coalition leaders said the significant New York Post coverage reflects the growing realization that diverse business communities can wield greater influence when working collectively rather than independently.
“This front-page recognition reflects more than media attention,” coalition leaders said. “It reflects the emergence of a stronger multicultural business movement committed to advocacy, cooperation, and ensuring that the voices and economic concerns of all communities are heard and protected.”
The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce thanked coalition members, chamber presidents, business leaders, elected officials, supermarket associations, and community advocates who helped support the coalition’s launch and rapid expansion.
Additional coalition initiatives, partnerships, advocacy efforts, and regional expansion announcements are expected in the coming weeks.
