We. Did. That!
On April 26, BIA gathered a delegation of entrepreneurs, ecosystem builders and social activists from across the country, to officially launch the Congressional Caucus on Black Innovation (CBI).
And launch … we did!
The Press Conference
It started bright and early with a press conference led by U.S. Representative Stacey Plaskett at the (historic) House Triangle, with the Capitol building nestled in the background.
Journalists and community leaders also heard remarks from:
- Kelly Burton, PhD, Black Innovation Alliance
- Jessica Norwood, RUNWAY
- Lekiesha French Merritt, PRENEURology & The Future in Color
- Twanna Harris, Tribal Good
- Carmen Mays, Elevators
The Luncheon Briefing
Next, it was time to break bread and share knowledge.
We assembled a powerhouse group of technology and business experts to educate policymakers and some special guests from Congress on a variety of issues, including data collection, algorithms and bias, the future of money and cryptocurrency, and IP rights, the metaverse and the future of work.
Our roster of thought-leaders included:
- Henry McKoy, PhD – Supporting Black Business
- Kimberly Tignor – IP Rights
- Fallon Wilson, PhD – Infrastructure / Broadband
- Catherine Henry – Future of Tech & The Metaverse
- Cleve Mesidor – Future of Money
- Ruth E. Hedges – Crowdfunding
- Alex Camerdelle, PhD – The Future of Work
- Jessica B. Lee – Data Security & Privacy
The Gathering Spot
After a (full) day of discourse, it was time to get down!
We gathered for more delicious grub, a few cocktails and good vibes. And as we celebrated the launch of the CBI with allies, friends and family, BIA got to announce another major win – we received a $1 million gift from the eBay Foundation.
The investment is in support of The Decade of Black Innovation – a movement strategy meant to shift business and political paradigms for Black entrepreneurs for generations to come.
And the formation of the CBI is one of the first (formal) outcomes of the strategy!
Thank you!
We could not have done this without the support of our members, their community of entrepreneurs, and our mighty BIA team.
A very special thanks to Ify Ike and the Pink Cornrows team for helping to mastermind the entire Decade of Black Innovation initiative – along with the CBI launch strategy!
You can find more coverage of the CBI launch activities here:
