BLACK ENTERPRISE TO PRESENT TOWN HALL CHALLENGING CORPORATE AMERICA AND THE BIDEN/HARRIS ADMINISTRATION TO INVEST IN THE GROWTH OF BLACK-OWNED COMPANIES

NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Enterprise, the No. 1 multimedia resource for African American entrepreneurs and business leaders, will present the latest installment of the BLACK ENTERPRISE Economic Equity & Racial Justice Town Hall Series: "Black Business Development – Creating Greater Access to Capital & Contracts" on Thursday, Jan. 13, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST. The virtual town hall series is produced in partnership with The Executive Leadership Council as Presenting sponsor, with CNN Political Commentator Bakari Sellers serving as moderator for the series.

Panelists for the Black Business Development Town Hall session include McKissack & McKissack President & CEO Cheryl McKissack Daniel, National Urban League President & CEO Marc H. Morial, Mobility Capital Finance Inc. Founder & CEO Wole Coaxum, and Kennametal VP of Global Strategic Sourcing Yvette Henry. Remarks will also be delivered by The Executive Leadership Council Board Secretary and Elloree Talent Strategies Founder & CEO Valerie Irick Rainford, and black enterprise CEO Earl "Butch" Graves Jr.

The pandemic has intensified long-standing inequities that continue to make it challenging for Black-owned businesses to endure this ongoing crisis and gain pathways for recovery. As such, financing and procurement opportunities must be expanded and accelerated to launch, scale, and sustain their enterprises. Topics to be addressed by "Black Business Development" town hall panelists include: 

• Are corporate programs really expanding the number of viable startups?
• Have major companies and government agencies significantly increased procurement spend and facilitated access to multimillion-dollar contracts for Black firms?
• What have been the outcomes of strategic alliances between corporate entities and Black-owned firms and business organizations?
• How will the Biden administration, the corporate community, and Black business advocacy groups ensure that Black companies gain significant participation in the $2 trillion plan to rebuild infrastructure and reshape the economy?

"There can be no credible effort in pursuit of diversity, equity and inclusion by corporate America that does not result in creating greater opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned businesses," says Graves. "We must also challenge the Biden White House to live up to its commitment to equity for Black people by ensuring that policies are implemented that result in growth in the size and numbers of Black-owned companies and increases in Black household net worth necessary to close America's racial wealth gap."

"Black Business Development – Creating Greater Access to Capital & Contracts" is the latest in an ongoing series of virtual roundtable sessions featuring top corporate executives, entrepreneurs, financial experts, and thought leaders. The roundtable discussions will examine a range of challenges confronting communities of color, with the goal of yielding strategic plans to galvanize Black Americans to act. The sessions seek to advance the state of the Black community, help position Black professionals to gain more C-suite and board positions, increase capital and procurement opportunities for Black-owned businesses, and ensure corporate America's accountability to their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The virtual town hall series is produced in partnership with The Executive Leadership Council as Presenting sponsor, with CNN Political Commentator Bakari Sellers serving as moderator for the series. 

For complimentary entry to the "Black Business Development – Creating Greater Access to Capital & Contracts" Town Hall, go to blackenterprise.com/townhall/.

About The Executive Leadership Council:
The Executive Leadership Council, an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1986, is the preeminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global Black executives in C-Suites, on corporate boards, and in global enterprises. Comprising 800 current and former Black CEOs, senior executives and board directors at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global Black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com.

BLACK ENTERPRISE is the No.1 Black media brand, with more tha n 8 million monthly unique visitors. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has been the premier business, career, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. BLACK ENTERPRISE produces video and podcast programming, virtual and in-person business and lifestyle events, other digital media. Visit www.blackenterprise.com for more information.

SOURCE: The Executive Leadership Council
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SOURCE Black Enterprise