The Quest for Racial Justice

Making this a Movement, Not a Moment

Racism and the systemic inequities it breeds took center stage last year, as the world watched the murder of George Floyd during the worst healthcare crisis of our generation.  We have the opportunity to address last year’s tragic events by being more intentional in our actions and the causes we support.  Please join us in having a dialogue with organizations on the front line of sustaining what must become a movement, so that last year’s events aren’t simply viewed as just another moment in time.

Register HERE.

Speakers will include:

Omar Blayton, the CFO of Sunwealth, will explain how Sunwealth was created to serve black and brown communities, a segment of the market that was deemed unattractive to other solar companies.  He will discuss the challenges of running a business in a more socially responsible way, explaining how being more intentional about diversity has impacted their business operations and goes beyond hiring.  

Donna Gambrell, the CEO of Appalachian Community Capital and chair of the African American Alliance of CDFI CEOs, will discuss the importance of supporting the smallest black –led CDFI’s with respect to closing the racial wealth gap.   Between FY14 and FY17 total assets at black-led CDFIs increased by only 14% while they were up more than 160% at white-led CDFIs.  We will learn what accounts for this disparity in funding, and how we can be a part of the solution.

Genevieve Martin, the Executive Director of Dave’s Killer Bread Foundation, will help us understand the importance of second chance hiring and what is needed to establish second chance hiring programs in corporations and in local government agencies.  Second chance hiring programs help formerly incarcerated people return to the workforce, and we, at NorthStar, are speaking with public companies in our portfolio to promote second chance hiring programs. 

Register HERE.