BLACK ENTERPRISE and The Executive Leadership Council Present Town Hall Series on Economic Equity Around Anniversary of George Floyd Death

BLACK ENTERPRISE — which is the premier multimedia resource for African American entrepreneurs and business leaders — and The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) announced that a Town Hall series will consist of seven virtual roundtable sessions featuring top corporate executives, entrepreneurs, civil rights activists and social thought leaders. A press release said that the purpose will be to examine a range of challenges confronting the Black community. Yielding strategic plans to galvanize Black Americans to act is the goal of the undertaking. To recognize the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, the series will kick off on June 10, and the first event examines corporate accountability through a Black business lens One Year After George Floyd’s Murder: “One Year After George Floyd: Has Corporate America Made Good On Its Economic Equity Pledges?”

Remaining monthly sessions will span from July 8, 2021 to Feb. 24, 2022. They will seek to advance the state of the Black community, in addition to helping to position Black professionals to gain more C-suite and board positions, increasing capital and procurement opportunities for Black-owned businesses and ensuring corporate America’s accountability to recent diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The ELC’s website explains that the national organization is comprised of current and former Black CEOs and senior executives at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies which have worked to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline. This pre-eminent global organization focuses on developing Black corporate C-suite and board leaders. According to the press release, an additional series element is strengthening the organization’s existing ties with BLACK ENTERPRISE. This will enable promotion of shared missions and goals focused on elevating Black excellence in business, in addition to driving more viewership and engagement to BLACK ENTERPRISE’s content and resources.

CNN reported that Floyd’s death sparked global protests. Through celebrations and marches, supporters, activists and his family recently honored the man who was killed by former officer Derek Chauvin. However, BLACK ENTERPRISE’s CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr. pointed out another manner of responding:

“If we are to achieve economic equity, we must hold corporate America accountable for making sure that the billions of dollars pledged during the past year in the name of ending systemic racism actually results in systemic change — including actual wealth creation — for Black people both inside and outside of their companies. Our powerful alliance with The ELC will further enable us to achieve this end.”

The Chicago Sun-Times brought attention to similar sentiments. Leaders of community organizations in disadvantaged Black and Latinx communities hope the benefits of this pivotal time in American history will be long term, while corporate America continues efforts to “make good on Floyd-era pledges.”

Michael C. Hyter – The ELC’s President and CEO — also stated that partnering with BLACK ENTERPRISE provides a broad platform for their company to have a national dialogue about a range of issues and challenges which face the Black community today.

“In alignment with our mission, this partnership with Black Enterprise is a pathway of opportunity for Black executives to positively impact business and our communities,” says Hyter. “It gives us a broad platform to have a national dialogue about a range of issues and challenges facing the Black community today. Ignited by the brutal killing of George Floyd, the racial justice movement is challenging corporate America to confront systemic racism in the workplace. As we continue to recognize the significance of the challenges we face a year after Mr. Floyd’s death, we are proud to join forces with Black Enterprise to empower and educate the Black community and Black business leaders along their professional journeys. Creating safe spaces for Black leaders to invest in their own futures is a key component of our commitment to supporting Black business excellence.

Virtual Town Hall Sessions are as follows:

“One Year After George Floyd: Has Corporate America Made Good on its Economic Equity Pledges?”

“Voter Suppression: How Black Business Leadership Will Protect & Preserve Our Franchise”

“Homeownership & Wealth Building: Creating Pathways to Lasting Black Prosperity”

“Education: Ensuring No Black Child Will be Left Behind”

“Black Women: Gaining a Seat at The Table”

“Black Business Development: Achieving Parity in Capital & Contracts”

“Criminal Justice Reform: Developing A Fair & Equitable System for All”

CONTACT:

For ELC – Thomas Dima, thomas.dima@uwgny.com.

For BE – Kecia Voorhees, Voorheesk@blackenterprise.com Alfred Edmond, Jr., Edmonda@blackenterprise.com