EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - A new welcome sign at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce aims to greet people from multiple backgrounds.
On Friday the chamber had a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new sign in their lobby, which has the word "welcome" in three languages: English, Spanish, and Hmong.
Dr. Maysee Herr, CEO of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce said this might seem like a small thing, but it can make a huge impact.
When someone sees something families from their culture, it tells them they are included and that if they enter the business, someone will be friendly toward them.
Officials also announced future plans for the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber to move in and share office space with the Eau Claire Chamber.
Dr. Herr said her organization does not just serve the Hmong community, but also the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and underserved groups as a whole.
"We provide business assistance. We provide lending opportunities for those businesses," Dr. Herr said. "Our presence is important here because we know that there's a growing small business entrepreneurship spirit here. So we want to make sure that we're here to provide the assistance that's needed for those who need it."
The Hmong Wisconsin Chamber plans to hire a regional business development coordinator and move into the building within the next month or two.
They have offices at their headquarters in Milwaukee as well as in Wausau and Madison.
