Change Agents Inaugural Graduation & Summit

"The wings of transformation are born of patience & struggle." - Anonymous

In 2019, Black Girl Ventures received a grant from the Kauffman Foundation to expand BGV's efforts in providing Black/Brown woman-identifying founders access to community, capital, and capacity building. As a result, founders from Birmingham, Durham, Houston, Miami, and Philadelphia were recruited as Change Agents to help spread the BGV mission and deliver programming within their local communities.

This graduation marks the culmination of their time together as a cohort. We celebrate their service and commitment not only to BGV, but to their fellow founders and respective communities.

THE PROGRAM

 KEYNOTE ADDRESS (11:15-11:45 a.m. ET) 

Delivered by Kristina Francis, BGV Board Member and Executive Director, JFFLabs of Jobs for the Future

  CONCURRENT BREAKOUT SESSIONS (12-12:45 p.m. ET) 

Miami Chapter:

Entrepreneur Roundtable, featuring:

• Leigh-Ann Buchanan, President & Executive Director of aīre ventures
• Sherronda Daye, Owner of Defense Tea
• Stanley Rigaud, Vice President, International Economic Development of Beacon Council

Birmingham Chapter:

We Mean Business: One Year Later, featuring:

• Angelina Darrisaw, National Grow With Google Digital Coach / CEO of C-Suite Coach and Carmen Mays, MPA, Founder & CEO of Elevators

Philadelphia Chapter:

We Outside: Supplier Diversity and Tourism, featuring:

• Erika L. White, CDE - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Manager, Pennoni
• Anwar Musa, Vice President, Supplier Relations of Hotel Engine
• Chrissy Watts, Founder of Philly Experiences

Durham Chapter:

The Quarantine: Real Talk about Resilience , featuring:

• Nicole Oxendine, CEO & Founder of The Empower Circle & Empower Dance Studio

Houston Chapter:

BGV Houston Cares: The Community, the Impact, and What's Next, featuring:

• Sharita M. Humphrey, Finance Expert & Money Mentor of Sharita M Humphrey Consulting
• Ty'lisha Summers, Co-Founder of spendebt

 GRADUATION (1-2 p.m. ET) 

Featuring Valedictorians Sharita M. Humphrey and Tanya Morris