Amauris Gurujung testifies in support of Intro 408 social media matching program

Good afternoon, Chair Thomas Henry and members of the New York City Council Committee on Small Business.

My name is Amauris Gurujung.

I'm a Bronx-born creative, social entrepreneur, content creator, co-founder and CEO of Bronx Native.

I started Bronx Native in 2015 with a mission to change the narrative of the Bronx.

What started as a clothing brand has grown into a cultural platform, retail space, creative hub, and community that uses storytelling to uplift our borough and the people and businesses in it.

A huge part of that growth has come through social media and content creation.

Platforms like TikTok have allowed us to tell our own story, reach thousands of people beyond our neighborhood, bring customers into our businesses, and create opportunities that we simply would not have had access to other.

but also see firsthand that many amazing small businesses across the Bronx and New York City don't have the time, resources, or know how to effectively tell their stories online.

That is why I strongly support Councilmember Kevin Riley's Intro 408.

Connecting local businesses with content creators can be extremely powerful.

Creators understand how to tell stories, reach audiences, and turn online visibility into real-world attention.

For a small mom-and-pop shop business, that can mean new customers, increased foot traffic, greater sales, and ultimately keeping their doors open.

And this benefits creators too.

It creates paid opportunities for local talent to use their skills while investing directly back into their communities.

I've seen the power of content firsthand, not only through Growing Bronx Native, but also by using our platform to highlight other local businesses and organizations across our city.

New York City has incredible entrepreneurs and incredible creators.

Intro 408 gives us an opportunity to connect the two and strengthen our neighborhoods in the process.

I respectfully urge the council to support Intro 408.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.