SPECTRUM Virtual: Community of Multicultural Changemakers Convene to Close Racial Equity Gap

ATLANTA, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The urgent need for access, inclusion, and impact among communities of color will be addressed at SPECTRUM Virtual, June 9-11. Hosted by Intentional.co's Social Capital Markets (SOCAP), the three-day interactive convening will feature multicultural changemakers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, cross-sector practitioners, and investors with the imperative to close the racial equity gap among the African American, Indigenous, Asian and Latino communities.

"Now more than ever the conversations we are designing are so critical," said Keisha Senter, Content Lead, SPECTRUM. "This pandemic is shining a powerful light on the cracks and gaps in our systems and revealing the horrific toll of unchecked racial inequities that affect communities of color. System-level change is required to solve the racial inequalities at the root of many of our nation's worst challenges. Despite the gravity of this moment, we are energized and hopeful as we plan a virtual gathering to grow the SPECTRUM community and deepen our work."

For three days, the SPECTRUM community will share tools, networks, and knowledge while collaborating on ways to build new systems that support and drive capital to leaders of color.

The three days of programming themes are:

• Access (June 9) will focus on ways to help ensure that communities of color gain equal access to resources, services, and opportunities
• Inclusion (June 10) will identify ways to build inclusive networks that disrupt dominant negative narratives and empower people to share ideas, collaborate, and feel comfortable taking risks
• Impact (June 11) will highlight what is working locally, regionally, and nationally and how to collaborate on new solutions

"We know that the fastest-growing population of American entrepreneurs — people of color — are leading the charge, responding to the real needs of their communities and creating companies that have a purpose beyond profit," added Senter. "Even before the pandemic, we acknowledged that the racial equity gap was vast, preventing great startups from scaling and thriving. Innovators and founders of color are systematically under-recognized and under-resourced. SPECTRUM is committed to identifying ways to close the racial wealth gap by bringing more entrepreneurs of color closer to capital and by sharing the tools, networks and knowledge needed in order to build businesses that drive innovation, communities that thrive and sustainable economic growth."

The list of speakers* include:  

• Erika Alexander, actress & Co-Founder, Color Farm Media
• Michelle Arrington, State & Local Government Affairs, Verizon
• Nadia Brigham, Principal Consultant, Brigham Consulting
• Charisse Conanan Johnson, Managing Partner, Next Street
• Liz Dozier, Founder & CEO, Chicago Beyond
• Crystal Echo Hawk, Founder, IllumiNative
• Sarah Eagle Heart, CEO + Co-Founder, Return to the Heart Foundation
• Brian Goebel, Managing Director of Social Enterprise, Emory University Goizueta Business School
• Marcos Gonzalez, Founder and Managing Partner, Vamos Ventures
• Nathalie Molina Niño, CEO, O³
• Julio Rivera, CEO, Liberate
• Rashad Robinson, President, Color of Change
• Ryan Wilson, Co-Founder & CEO, TGS Holdings | The Gathering Spot
• Joey Womack, Founder, Amplify 4 Good

"There has always been a crucial need to shift and share the economic power to people of color," said Cari Hanson, Vice President of SOCAP, who has been the driving force behind the annual convening. "The previous underinvestment in communities of color has provided the conditions for this pandemic and health crisis to disproportionately effect communities of color across the country. What we are seeing are the gaps and cracks in the system, once easy to ignore. Rather than having that conversation repeatedly, we would rather have a conversation about what the future looks like. SPECTRUM will move as a group to create a set of real action plans that can be shared with the field to spur immediate progress toward long-term system level change."   

For the first time ever, in partnership with Village Capital, Abaca, and The Intentionally Good Project – Good Nation, 35 Virtual Scholarship Entrepreneur recipients will be identified to attend SPECTRUM Virtual. There will be a series of special meet and greets offering these exceptional entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with impact investors, network across industries, and make close connections with socially and environmentally driven business leaders. 

The conference program has been made possible because of the dedication of the SPECTRUM Advisory Council including Jay Bailey, President & CEO, Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Courtney Counts President & Managing Director, Social Innovation & Impact at KTC; Liz Dozier, Founder & CEO, Chicago Beyond; Marissa Guananja, Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Latresa McLawhorn Ryan, Executive Director, Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative; Javier Torres-Campos, Director, Thriving Cultures Program, Surdna Foundation Inc; Sarah M. Williams, Co-Founder & CEO, Propel Capital; Ryan Wilson, Co-Founder & CEO, TGS Holdings | The Gathering Spot; and Joey Womack, Founder, Amplify 4 Good.

Admission to virtual three-day event including planned meditation, cooking classes, music and entertainment, and Civic Dinners (a platform that brings people together to have conversations that matter). Range of ticket prices: $125.00 (non-refundable but transferable); one-day pass June 9, 10 or 11: $50.00 (non-refundable but transferable); and students are free. To register  please visit https://socialcapitalmarkets.net/spectrum/.

Support for SPECTRUM Virtual has been provided by the following companies: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Chicago Beyond, Propel Capital, Prudential (Sponsors); Abaca, Civic Dinners, Goodie Nation, KTC, Village Capital (In-Kind); Acorn, Alliance Healthcare Foundation, Benevolent.ly, Beta Boom, Bridges Impact Foundation, Camelback Ventures, CASE (Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship), Center for Civic Innovation (Atlanta), Chestnut Catalyst, Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Community Symbol, Community Wealth Builders,  Company, Conscious Company Media, Crossing Capital Group, Ecomap, Ethmar.Social, Impact Engine, Invest Atlanta, Kaya | Asesoria de Capital, Lahayim Cooperative, Marigold Capital, Moving Worlds, Parity, Pause for Change, Playground of Empathy, Roanhorse Consulting, Rural Opportunity Institute, Synergize Insights, Significance, Start.coop, SurThrive, Gratitude Railroad, TSEF | the social entrepreneurs' fund, Uncharted, Vamos Ladies, Vertue Lab, Village Micro Fund, We Sparkle, Watervine Impact (Network Partners).*

For press credentials, contact Diane Stefani at [email protected] or 917.519.8130.

About Intentional.co:
Intentional is a purpose-driven platform whose brands Social Capital Markets (SOCAP), SPECTRUM, Total Impact, and Conscious Company Media, are at the intersection of business, meaning, and money. Intentional.co connects, educates, and inspires people through the power of storytelling and networks, transforming moments to movements, thoughts to action. For more information, visit https://intentional.co/; follow on https://intentional.co/social/. 

*List as of press time

Press contact:
Diane Stefani: [email protected]; 917.519.8130
Social: #SPECTRUM2020 #SPECTRUMVirtual 

SOURCE Intentional.co