WASHINGTON, DC, May 5, 2022– The DC Chamber of Commerce today announces its 2022 Small Business Award recipients who will be honored during its annual Small Business & Economic Development Summit on Tuesday, May 10, at the Washington Convention Center.

The Summit will convene leaders from across local & federal governments and the small business industry for a deep dive on the state and recovery of the District of Columbia’s small business industry and what the future vision, policy, and programs for all businesses. Participants will explore how to open and grow a business, access to capital -traditional and non-traditional- access to federal and local agencies, certifications with corporate America, federal and local government, and networking and matchmaking (B2B).

“Small businesses are the backbone of Washington, DC and make our city the thriving business community it is today,” said Angela Franco, President and CEO, DC Chamber of Commerce. “On behalf of the Chamber, I would like to congratulate our awardees for their business excellence and persevering through a difficult time.”

The Chamber’s Small Business Awards categories and awardees include:

Small Business of the Year, ACSI Translations

ACSI, a Hispanic-owned language access firm headquartered in Washington, D.C., has provided services since 2011 with a focus on helping local governments, service providers, and enterprise customers develop and execute Language Access Programs (LAPs) and individual service initiatives. Their services include document translation, in-person interpretation, over-the-phone interpretation (OPI), virtual remote interpretation (VRI), American sign language (ASL), video voice-over and video subtitling, multicultural marketing, and consulting services. ACSI Translations was chosen as Small Business of the Year for its goal of simplifying language access deployment while increasing community equity, and stakeholder engagement. 

Small Business Person of the Year, Stacey Price, Shop Made in DC

In 2017, Stacey Price launched Shop Made in DC, a new generation incubator that uses inventive space to empower and scale DC artisans. Since opening, she and her team have launched Shop Made in Virginia and Shop Made in Maryland, supporting over 800 artists with access to customers, education, and capital. In less than 5 years, she has helped launch 8 locations and generate nearly $5 million back to local makers. Stacey exemplifies Small Business Person the Year as she brings together entrepreneurs and provides them the space to grow and succeed. 

Women in Business Champion, Sara Lucas, Petals, Ribbons, and Beyond 

Flowers have always been an integral part of life for Sara Lucas having grown up in South Carolina where her grandmother grew rose bushes. A graduate of Spelman College, Sara began her career at the Superior Court. In 1988, she took the leap to become a partner in “Fabulous Gifts and Florals,” but over time each partner decided to move on. In 2005 she committed to growing her business and dedicated her full attention to what is now known as Petals, Ribbons, and Beyond. Sara weathered the pandemic by staying true to her business and relying on compassion, competence, and faith, and for that, she is being named Women in Business Champion.

Non-Profit of the Year, Byte Back

For 25 years, Byte Back has been committed to closing the digital divide by providing under-resourced communities an equitable pathway into the digital economy by creating a pathway of inclusive and relevant digital literacy and tech training that leads to increased access and meaningful careers in the tech industry. As a leader in both digital inclusion and digital equity, Byte Back serves and trains more than 1000 adults every year. Byte Back’s Scholars are predominantly people of color, women, and unemployed or underemployed adults. Byte Back has expanded program offerings to support returning citizens (RE-UP), LatinX, Veterans, Youth, Seniors, and young professionals looking to pivot into a career in technology. Byte Back was selected as non-profit of the year for its ongoing commitment to digital literacy and technology equity for all.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Isaiah Hamilton, Victor Wear

Victor Wear is an inspirational activewear brand founded by mother and son, Tiffany and Isaiah Hamilton. Isaiah is the inspiration behind the brand. He’s a bright, talented, lovable young man with high-functioning autism, but he faces challenges in the working world with most autistic adults being either unemployed or underemployed. But they are not unemployable. As Co-Founder/President of Victor Wear, Isaiah Hamilton collaborates with his mother on T-shirt slogans and designs. He is also assisting with event planning and logistics, speaking to the media, and increasing his role as the face/lead ambassador of the brand – all while attending high school and participating in extracurricular activities! Victor Wear, and Isaiah, embody Young Entrepreneur of the Year by creating employment opportunities for differently abled people.

For more information about the 2022 DC Chamber of Commerce Small Business & Economic Development Summit, please visit https://dcchamber.org/events/2022-small-biz-summit. 

About the DC Chamber of Commerce

The DC Chamber of Commerce is the largest Chamber in the Washington, DC region. As an advocate for the DC business community for 83 years, the DC Chamber of Commerce is the voice for businesses in the District of Columbia, proudly serving a diverse membership of more than 1,400 members. For more information, visit https://www.dcchamber.org, or follow the Chamber at https://twitter.com/dcchamber and on https://www.facebook.com/DCCofCommerce.