Impact Hub Houston Core Conversations: "If Not Us, Then Who?" Working for Equity & Justice in the US
Channel: Impact Hub Houston
Date: 17/06/2020

Join a virtual discussion with Phillip Yates, Founder/CEO of Equiliberty and Co-Founder of The Diversity Fund, on the impact of race on our current virus + violence crises; followed by insights from the Impact Hub community's work on AIDE - Access, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity - to support and empower change-makers of color in the United States, featuring Kelvin Lyons, one of four leaders of the "What's Good, Bro?" (WGB) podcast, Kerry Bowie, Managing Partner at Msaada Partners , and Karen Brown-Stovell, Executive Director at Forward Ever Sustainable Business Alliance.

Aimed at raising awareness, understanding, and action for the issues that profoundly impact our community, Core Conversations examine the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within our local context, providing space to reflect, challenge our assumptions, and explore potential solutions to society's wicked problems. 

This Core Conversations was inspired by Freedom Rider and Georgia Congressman John Lewis's quote, "If Not Us, Then Who? If Not Now, Then When?" Through it, we hope you gain insight into how racism impacts systemic and generational health, social, and economic outcomes for black communities. We hope you’re inspired by the work of our speakers to address racial discrimination, reduce inequalities (#SDG10), and promote decent work and economic growth (#SDG8) for people of color. Most importantly, we hope you’ll be moved to reflect on your own role in your community, understand why black lives matter, and explore what you can do to be the change for racial equity and social justice.

Speakers:

Phillip J. Yates - Attorney (Yates & Associates, PLLC); CEO/Founder of Equiliberty, Inc.; Board Chair of Impact Hub Houston.
Phillip founded Equiliberty to end poverty by helping people learn how to use their existing resources and talents to grow thriving businesses, create jobs, and develop strong local economies that contribute to global prosperity. It leverages technology to democratize access to credit and provides the tools for creators to build infrastructure and self-sustainable revenue models that ultimately promote economic growth and justice for all. Phillip is also a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Diversity Fund Houston, a micro venture fund created to invest in black and brown tech founders during the “friends and family” round; and he has helped establish a pre-venture business incubator for minorities at the Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), providing key resources that have helped over 5,000 minority entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses.
- https://www.findequiliberty.com/
- http://thediversityfund.com/

Grace Rodriguez - CEO/Executive Director of Impact Hub Houston
Grace helps do-gooders do greater. She is an active member of the: Nationswell Council; Kauffman ESHIP Ecosystem Developers community; Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE); and the City of Houston Women and Minority Business Task Force. She mentors startups at MassChallenge TX, Rice University's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (LILIE), Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at UH Bauer College, Texas Medical Center Innovation Institute (TMCx), and Capital Factory. She serves on the boards of Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH) and Writers in the Schools (WITS), and organizes Women In Tech: Houston (WIT:H) and TEDxHouston.
- https://houston.impacthub.net/about-us
- https://houston.impacthub.net/ppeforthepeople/

Kelvin Lyons, What's Good, Bro? (WGB) Podcast - "A conversation amongst brothers on real life, the culture and any topics on black masculinity and community."

Kerry Bowie, Managing Partner at Msaada Partners - "I have spent more than twenty years exercising this passion in the areas of environmental research, operations, and policy within academia, industry, and government (with a focus on food, water, and energy in recent years). While I will continue to work in the environmental and energy space, especially as it relates to climate change and social equity, I have formally expanded my passion for efficiency to the areas of entrepreneurship and innovation, especially as it relates to entrepreneurs from underserved groups and/or ventures targeting their products/services at underserved communities."
- https://www.msaadapartners.com/

Karen Brown-Stovell, Founder of Forward Ever Sustainable Business Alliance and Co-Founder of Impact Hub New York Metropolitan Area
- http://www.forwardevernj.com/

Impact Hub Baltimore: https://baltimore.impacthub.net/
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Instagram: impacthub_baltimore

Impact Hub Boston: http://boston.impacthub.net/
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Impact Hub Houston: http://houston.impacthub.net/
Facebook/Instagram: impacthubhouston
Twitter: impacthubhou

Impact Hub New York Metro Area: http://newyork.impacthub.net/

What's Good, Bro? (WGB?):
Facebook/Instagram: WGBPodcast/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC34O6Dzzhdf7tIBjSWbPQWw