Colorado Black Round Table, in conjunction with numerous Black community organizations, businesses, corporations and concerned citizens, will hold its annual Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit Oct. 17-20, 2024. The CBRT Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit offers an opportunity for the Black community to have positive discussion on community issues, do inspirational and aspirational community visioning as well as hear proposals and recommendations for action and real community change.
Denver7 is a proud partner of the Colorado Black Round Table and the Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit.
The focus of this year's summit is Equity, Opportunity and Community Benefits. The main purpose of this year's summit activities is to continue to reclaim the Black community’s advocacy history in Colorado, build on CBRT's organizational priorities and leadership as well as promote social equity voice, vision and viable plans and efforts to address the disparities impacting African American citizens in the Denver metro area and throughout Colorado. The CBRT Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit will offer four days of community building, leadership and organizational dialogue, corporate-community engagement, historical remembrances as well as providing sessions and presentations on topics including:
· Reparations and DEI,
· First Bank banking services and products,
· How to do business with DPS, Xcel Energy, DEN, RTD, DHA and local municipalities,
· Positive discussions on youth violence and youth diversion,
· Black community and philanthropy,
· A statewide roundtable with Black elected officials and community organization leaders on building Black political influence,
· An intergenerational discussion on identifying and supporting future Black leadership,
· A session on Black women in business leadership,
· Acknowledgement of Colorado corporate leadership and Black business leaders and organizations that have shown and demonstrated social equity commitments.
In addition, there will be a series of Gaining Ground in the Black Community discussions on education, public safety, housing, economic development, health and mental health, cannabis, Ranked Choice Voting, Black Voter Engagement and the November election, a Candidates Forum, Fireside Chats on Black Community hot topics plus a voter education activation program called "Operation Black Vote - JUST VOTE" and more.
The CBRT Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit will be dedicated to the Justice For Black Coloradans Initiative to raise funds for the research necessary to produce a final report to authentically guide, engage and support institutions and government in the development of constructive and instructive public policy in the State of Colorado that have historically and continues to adversely impact Black citizens. In addition, each day of the CBRT Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit will be named after persons, organizations or businesses that have left a legacy of public service in the Black Community including John Selman, former Denver businessman; Shirley Sims, former educator and pre-school advocate; Elvin Caldwell, former Denver City Councilman; and Isabella Allen, former Montbello community advocate
CBRT will also make Freedom Fist Award presentations to Colorado State Senator Rhonda Fields and Donata Russell Ross and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (Atlanta, Georgia).
In addition, Community Service Awards will be presented to Black Community organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to community benefits, service, equity and leveling the playing field in Colorado. Honorees include: Collaborative Healing Initiative Within Communities, Families Forward Resource Center, Second Chance Center, Inc., Ethnic College Counseling Center, Make A Chess Move, Struggle of Love Foundation, Parkhill Pirates Youth Sports Organization, Higher Learning U, Inc, AYA Foundation and Denver Metro Community Impact.
There will also be a Special Justice For Black Coloradans and CBRT Gaining Ground in the Black Community Social Equity Summit Kick-off Reception at 3:30pm on Thursday, Oct. 17 in the Grand Ballroom at the DoubleTree Hotel, 3203 Quebec Street. CBRT will acknowledge the organizers, legislators and supporters of the Justice For Black Coloradans initiative for their work in making the legislation and the journey a reality. Speakers include Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, John Walsh, Colorado State Senator James Coleman and more.
For more information on the annual CBRT Gaining Ground In The Black Community Summit contact John Bailey at johnbailey062@gmail.com.
This article was paid for through an in-kind partnership.
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