Silicon Valley CEO Eric Kelly has always been frustrated by the myth among corporate executives that finding Black talent in the tech industry is a challenge. Kelly fortified the staff of his hybrid Cloud IT infrastructure firm with minority talent and …
Continue ReadingCategory Archives: Racial Justice and Economic Equity
Michigan Sites Significant to Black History Given More than $1 Million in Restoration Grants
Michigan has a rich heritage when it comes to the Civil Rights movement and Black history, and current efforts are being made to ensure that it’s not forgotten. Five Michigan projects were recently awarded over $1.4 million in federal grants …
Continue ReadingFormer Nike designer plans to reopen Michigan’s only HBCU
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have seen a steady increase in interest and enrollment since 2017, which many have directly correlated with the state of politics and the election of President Donald Trump. Detroit once was home to its own …
Continue ReadingChase for Business Honors and Highlights Black Businesses During Free Virtual Black Entrepreneurs Day Event, Oct. 14
The second annual Black Entrepreneurs Day, presented by Chase for Business, returns to the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The free event to honor and highlight Black entrepreneurs and businesses will be streamed over …
Continue ReadingAn Invitation to People Serious About Equity: Founder and CEO of Black Leaders Detroit, Dwan Dandridge, Reflects on the Ride for Equity and Mackinac Policy Conference
Less than one month ago, Sept. 12-18, Dwan Dandridge, founder and chief executive officer of Black Leaders Detroit, rode his bike from Marygrove College in Detroit to Mackinac City. In an interview with the Detroit Regional Chamber, Dandridge shared that the Ride for Equity was originally supposed to launch from one of the two Black-owned marinas in Detroit and continue for 52 miles across the city.
Continue ReadingHow Walker-Miller Energy Services is Changing the Future of Energy Efficiency by Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Sustainability is more than recycling and composting food waste. According to Malcolm Miller, director of business development at Walker-Miller Energy Services, energy efficiency is the foundation of sustainability.
Continue ReadingDetroit Woman Launches Luxury Wine Brand, Looks to Shake Up Industry
DETROIT – A new wine hitting shelves at stores is normally not a big deal, but this one is different. Opulence Wine, the new Detroit wine brand that launched Thursday, coins itself as luxury but the journey that got it …
Continue ReadingReport: Women of Color Only Account for 4% of C-Suite Positions, While White Men and Women Succeed Them
For many Black women, getting love from U.S. companies continues to be an ongoing battle. More than a year after an increased focus on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI), corporate America is still failing women of color on vital …
Continue ReadingBusiness Leaders Encourage Uncomfortable Conversations to Advance Workplace Equity
Getting comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations and expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to include the LGBTQ+ communities and individuals with disabilities were among sentiments shared during a Racial Equity in the Workplace panel Wednesday morning.
Continue ReadingInvesting in Minority Entrepreneurship is not Philanthropic, It’s Business
In early 2020, 60% of Black-owned businesses were in distress and at risk of closing. By March 2020, 40% were in the process of closing. According to Candice Matthews Brackeen, executive director of Lighthouse Capitol, this was not a surprise. The distress rate for Black-owned businesses during the pandemic was 60%, compared to white counterparts whose distress rate was approximately 30%.
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