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00:00Hello, everyone, and welcome to Economic Equity as a Human Right.
00:07I'm Tanya Christian, the News and Politics Editor at Essence Magazine.
00:12And today we're discussing the importance of financial fairness in our country
00:15and economic expansion in our communities of color.
00:19We have a powerful panel here with me today.
00:22Joining us is founder and chair of Essence Ventures, Richie Lou Dennis,
00:26President and CEO of the National Urban League, Mark Morial,
00:31co-chair of the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity,
00:35co-chair of the Commission of Gender Equity,
00:37chair of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City,
00:40and First Lady of New York City, Shirley MacRae.
00:43So first, I want us to talk about the need for wealth distribution
00:47for Black and brown communities in the United States.
00:50How do we foster a community of financial growth and stability?
00:53I'll start with you first, Lily.
00:57I'm glad you asked that question because I think it is central to the huge challenge
01:04that we face, especially now after the pandemic,
01:07where we have experienced so much economic loss
01:09and the brutal disparities that exist in brown and black communities have been revealed.
01:17So Black and brown communities only achieve financial equity
01:23when their communities are healthy in every way.
01:27And much of the work that our government has been doing started well before the pandemic.
01:33Juan Gonzalez, a writer, journalist, actually wrote about what we've been doing
01:39in his book, Reclaiming Gotham, and noted that we've put $21 billion at that time,
01:46it's more now, $21 billion back into the pockets of working people,
01:52black and brown people, through housing policies, paid sick,
01:58free middle school, free after school for middle school students,
02:03universal pre-K and 3K and raising the minimum wage and providing paid sick leave.
02:12All of those things put a lot of money back in the pockets of the people.
02:17Child care alone, I shouldn't say child care, pre-K alone is good.
02:23Well, it can be like $14,000 a year or so or more.
02:27That's a lot of money that allows parents to work,
02:34allows them to save up for a house or put towards rent
02:39or so many other ways that they can use that money.
02:44It makes a huge difference in the lives of working people
02:47when government is actually supporting them in a myriad of ways.
02:56Great.
02:56Richie Lou, I'll go to you next.
03:01Yeah, I think, you know, as the First Lady just shared,
03:07we have to be deliberate and intentional about investing in our communities,
03:15investing in entrepreneurs in our community.
03:19This whole idea of economic inclusion as a human right
03:24is starting to play out right in front of our very eyes
03:28in a national way,
03:30but it's existed for centuries now.
03:36Being intentional and deliberate about where we spend our money,
03:41who we spend our money with and the things that we expect to get delivered to us
03:48as a result of us spending our money,
03:49I think is a critical, critical step towards economic equity, right?
03:58And inclusion.
04:00And so I think for us, the first thing is really thinking through who we spend our money with
04:05and why we spend our money and where we spend our money.
04:08The second thing is when we do spend our money,
04:10what is it used for?
04:13Are we holding the people that we spend our money with accountable
04:16to furthering the issues that protect us,
04:20that make us safe, that develop our communities,
04:23that educate our children?
04:25And so I think for us,
04:28whether it's Essence or whether it's New Voices
04:31or it's any of the various businesses that we're involved in,
04:35the first rule of thumb is making sure that every dollar that we spend
04:41is accountable to our community development.
04:46Great. Thank you so much.
04:48Mark, I'll, you know, I'll go to you next.
04:51Thank you. First of all, let me thank,
04:52I want to thank Rich and Lewin and Essence Ventures
04:55and the Essence Communications team for inviting me to this discussion
04:59and for their 50-year-plus work of building an enterprise
05:05that Black America and the nation can be proud of.
05:08I'm certainly an honor to be with the First Lady
05:11of the great city of New York in this discussion.
05:14This is what it, I think, what equity really means.
05:19Black people have been the caboose
05:23on the proverbial American economic train from the very beginning.
05:30And so if you're the caboose,
05:32sometimes if the economic train moves a little faster,
05:36you may move a little faster,
05:39but you're still the caboose.
05:42When the economic train slows down,
05:44you slow down and you're still the caboose.
05:48Equity means that we no longer ride in the caboose,
05:52that we ride in the engine,
05:54or we ride to the front of the train
05:57or have the opportunity to do so
05:59and not be stuck in the back of the train as we are now.
06:03What's striking is that the racial wealth gap
06:07in this country has widened in the last 20 years.
06:13The level of Black homeownership has lessened
06:16in the last 20 years.
06:19Indeed, we are back to where we were some 40 to 50 years ago.
06:22So this movement that's taking place
06:26in the streets of our country,
06:28this movement against racial injustice,
06:33has to include a conversation and a discussion
06:37about economic equity as a human right.
06:41And why is it a human right?
06:43Because economic equity is all about
06:47people's ability to improve their quality of life,
06:52the quality of life for their family,
06:54and the quality of life for the overall
06:56African-American community in this country.
06:59To live in a better home
07:03that one has an opportunity to own,
07:06to be able to accumulate savings and investments
07:10and assets,
07:11to make life easier for the next generation,
07:14to build businesses,
07:16not to just build businesses,
07:18but to build businesses,
07:19if you want,
07:20of scale and size
07:21that employ thousands of people
07:23and have an impact on literally millions of lives.
07:28So we have to have this vision.
07:30Rich is right.
07:31We have to be intentional about where we spend.
07:34But we have to impact the policies
07:36and the approaches
07:38and the attitudes
07:39of major American institutions,
07:42government agencies,
07:44private corporations
07:47who have the power to determine
07:51and make so many important economic decisions.
07:55Who gets hired?
07:55Who gets promoted?
07:57Who gets a contract to do things
08:01and to carry out things?
08:04We have to have a blueprint
08:06around economic equity.
08:08And I think that's why Rich's voice
08:09and Essence's voice,
08:11that's why the work I think
08:13the First Lady is doing
08:14are really trying to chart a path
08:16and chart a course.
08:17At the National Urban League,
08:18this has been our work
08:19for generations and generations
08:22about economic equity,
08:24economic justice,
08:25complete economic inclusion.
08:28And at this moment,
08:29more people are hearing it,
08:31but we can't let this moment
08:33remain a moment.
08:35This moment has to morph
08:36and become a movement.
08:39Absolutely.
08:41Thank you all for that.
08:43So my second question,
08:45and this is again for everybody,
08:47when it comes to economic equity,
08:50how are Black business owners
08:51being encouraged or discouraged
08:54as it comes to continuing their business
08:56during and post COVID-19?
08:59And again, I'll start with you, First Lady.
09:05You know, we know that
09:07this pandemic has hit.
09:10Black business is hard,
09:12really hard,
09:13and many of them will not come back.
09:16There was a study done recently
09:18by University of California
09:19that showed that more than 40%
09:23of Black business owners
09:24reported that they weren't working in April.
09:27and when their businesses
09:30were feeling the worst of the pandemic,
09:31and only 17% of white small business owners
09:34said the same thing.
09:36So that's just an indication of,
09:38again, the disparity that exists
09:40in our country.
09:43Some of the things that we are doing
09:45in New York City
09:46is making sure that
09:47the small businesses
09:49that sustain any damage
09:52through looting
09:52are getting help for those repairs.
09:55and, of course,
09:56to our minority and women-owned businesses,
10:03we are making sure
10:04that the city's commitment
10:06to diversity is reflected
10:08in its spending.
10:09MWBEs are critical
10:11to the fabric
10:11of our whole city,
10:13and we are making sure
10:15that they have a priority
10:17when getting the funds
10:20for government contracts,
10:22and we're nearing
10:2310,000 certifications
10:25as I speak.
10:28We've won from 4,000
10:30to 10,000 certifications
10:33to make sure
10:34that the Black-owned businesses
10:36can work for government,
10:38get those government contracts.
10:40Now, we're on our way
10:41to achieving a 10-year goal
10:43of $25 billion
10:44in contracts
10:46to these companies,
10:47a billion ahead of schedule,
10:49but that's what it takes.
10:51It's that intentionality
10:52that Rich spoke about,
10:56that we have to actually
10:58create a template
10:59to make sure
11:01that we are all working
11:03on the same sort of goals
11:06and guidelines
11:07to make sure
11:07that people are getting
11:09the kind of help,
11:10the direction,
11:11the support that they need.
11:13And I want people to know
11:14that if they live in New York City
11:16and they want to get certified
11:17and to be able
11:19to get government contracts,
11:21that there is a place
11:22for them to go.
11:23They can go to nyc.gov,
11:26get certified.
11:27And there are all kinds
11:29of supports and resources
11:30to make sure
11:31that they can get
11:32their businesses on track.
11:34That's great.
11:36Richie Liu, you're next.
11:38Yeah.
11:38You know,
11:39it's...
11:39when we talk
11:46about economic equity
11:47and how it impacts
11:51the Black community
11:52as a whole
11:53and specifically
11:55Black entrepreneurship
11:56and Black businesses,
11:58we saw
11:59when the first round
12:01of the PPP funds
12:03came out
12:04how disproportionately
12:06thoughtful
12:09it was
12:10against
12:12Black business owners.
12:14You know,
12:15a vast majority
12:16of our businesses
12:17are
12:18sole proprietorships.
12:21So,
12:22many of them
12:23didn't qualify that way.
12:25A vast majority
12:26of our businesses
12:28have been
12:29relegated
12:32to being
12:32in the shadows.
12:33So,
12:33not having
12:34the relationships
12:36with the banks
12:36because banks
12:37haven't supported us.
12:39We have not trusted
12:40the banks
12:41because we've been
12:42oftentimes
12:45not given
12:47a fair opportunity.
12:49And so,
12:50just there,
12:53you see
12:53the type of impact
12:55that this systemic
12:55racism
12:56over these
12:57centuries
12:59impacts us
13:01in a time
13:01of great need
13:02and at a time
13:04when the country
13:04was coming together
13:05to help,
13:06even the processes
13:08and the systems
13:09and the structures
13:10that were there
13:11to help
13:12and the funding
13:12that came in
13:13to help
13:13were hindered
13:15by these
13:16centuries
13:18of these
13:19structures
13:20that have kept us out.
13:22So,
13:23what we have
13:23to do now
13:24is to be very
13:25focused on
13:26what those structures
13:27have been,
13:28what those systems
13:29have been,
13:29what those processes
13:30have been
13:31and we have
13:32to go in
13:33and do the work
13:34to correct
13:35those processes,
13:36to adjust
13:37those structures,
13:38to realign
13:39those systems
13:40so that they're
13:41inclusive
13:41of every American
13:44and bringing in
13:46Black Americans
13:47at an equal
13:49and equitable
13:50rate
13:51as everybody else.
13:53we should have
13:55the same access,
13:56the same opportunities
13:57through the same
13:59systems
14:00and the same
14:00processes.
14:01The same systems
14:02shouldn't work
14:03differently for us
14:04than they do
14:04for anybody else.
14:06They should work
14:07equally
14:07and we have to
14:08make those adjustments
14:09to bring us
14:10into there.
14:11And so,
14:12as Mark was saying
14:13earlier,
14:14this can't be
14:15a moment,
14:16this can't be
14:16everybody's now
14:17aware,
14:18so we're aware
14:19of the problem.
14:20I like to say
14:21that the media
14:24business is built
14:24on awareness,
14:26so I don't want
14:26to be in the media
14:27business,
14:27I want to be
14:28in the action
14:28business.
14:29I want to be
14:31in the business
14:31that is not
14:33just making
14:34people aware
14:35but that is
14:35providing tools
14:36and solutions
14:37that we actually
14:38change these things.
14:39So,
14:39we're leveraging
14:40the entire
14:41Essence ecosystem,
14:42we're leveraging
14:43the entire
14:44New Voices ecosystem,
14:45we're leveraging
14:46our entire ecosystem,
14:49partnering with
14:50the city,
14:50City of New York,
14:51First Lady,
14:52partnering with
14:52Mark and
14:53the Urban League,
14:54so let's now
14:54leverage everything
14:55that we've got
14:56to change these
14:57systems and structures
14:58because writing
14:59checks alone
15:00is not going
15:01to solve this
15:02problem,
15:02in fact,
15:03it's going to
15:03worsen the problem,
15:04you know,
15:05and one thing
15:06that shouldn't
15:07be lost on us
15:08is the jobs
15:09report that came
15:10out a couple
15:11of weeks ago
15:11and,
15:12you know,
15:12I don't know
15:13the exact numbers
15:15but I can tell
15:16you the results
15:17of it,
15:18is that
15:19unemployment
15:19for whites
15:20in the country
15:22went down
15:22and unemployment
15:23for blacks
15:24in the country
15:24went up.
15:26That alone
15:26shows you
15:27the inequities
15:28within which
15:29we function
15:30and within
15:31which we structure,
15:32whether it's
15:32the type of jobs
15:33that we're given
15:34access to,
15:35whether it's
15:36our businesses
15:37being less
15:39supported
15:40so not able
15:41to sustain
15:42the jobs
15:42in our community,
15:43whatever the reasons
15:44are,
15:45and there are
15:45a plethora of them,
15:46all those reasons
15:47lead
15:48or come
15:49from these
15:50systemic
15:50systems
15:51and structures
15:52that have
15:53kept us out.
15:53So as we
15:54make these
15:55commitments,
15:57as we do
15:58these activities,
15:58as we drive
15:59towards this change,
16:01they have to be
16:01focused on
16:02the structures,
16:04the systems,
16:04and the processes
16:05and not just
16:07the problems
16:10that we're
16:11seeing in front
16:12of us.
16:13Great.
16:14Mark, again,
16:15how do
16:16black businesses,
16:18how are black
16:18businesses encouraged
16:19or discouraged
16:20in this time
16:21of COVID-19?
16:23Well, thank you
16:23for the question
16:24and certainly
16:25the work
16:26that the city
16:27of New York
16:27is doing,
16:28the work
16:28that Essence
16:29is doing.
16:30Let me add
16:30to it
16:31what the
16:32National Urban
16:33League
16:33is doing.
16:34Our work
16:35is centered
16:36around 12
16:37entrepreneurship
16:38centers in
16:40cities across
16:40the nation.
16:41And while we
16:41don't have a
16:42presence with
16:42a center in
16:43New York,
16:44we do have
16:45one in
16:46Philadelphia
16:46and Washington
16:47and Cleveland
16:49and Cincinnati
16:49and New Orleans
16:50and Atlanta
16:51and Houston
16:51and Kansas
16:52City and Los
16:53Angeles and a
16:54number of other
16:54cities.
16:55And those
16:56centers are
16:57places where
16:58black small
16:59businesses can
17:00go and get
17:01free assistance,
17:03coaching,
17:04counseling,
17:04connections.
17:07We've spent
17:07a lot of
17:08time helping
17:09black small
17:10businesses apply
17:12for the PPP
17:12program.
17:13And I was
17:14just outraged
17:16at PPP
17:17round one.
17:19And that's
17:19why we pushed
17:20for a carve-out
17:22for community
17:23development
17:23financial institutions
17:24and black
17:25and brown
17:25banks in
17:27the second
17:28round of PPP
17:29to try to level
17:30the playing field
17:31a bit more.
17:32but we have
17:32assisted small
17:34business owners
17:35in applying
17:36for PPP
17:37funds.
17:38And we've
17:39helped small
17:40business owners
17:41navigate through
17:42the difficulties
17:43that they're
17:44having in this
17:45time of COVID
17:46where the economy
17:47has been
17:47slowed
17:48because of the
17:50necessity of
17:51responding to
17:52COVID.
17:53It's tough
17:54for African
17:55American businesses.
17:57Some may not
17:58make it,
17:58but I also think
17:59some are going to
17:59have the resilience
18:00and the drive
18:02and the fortitude
18:04to get through
18:05these great times
18:06of difficulty.
18:06So there are
18:07not enough
18:08resources devoted
18:09to the work,
18:11but at the
18:11National Urban League,
18:13the City of New York
18:13and many cities
18:14across the nation,
18:16city governments
18:17provide resources
18:19and assistance
18:20what Essence
18:22is doing.
18:23And so we
18:23are really,
18:25really help
18:25business owners
18:25focus on
18:26where are the
18:27places you
18:28can go
18:29for help,
18:30assistance,
18:31information,
18:33access to capital,
18:34technical assistance.
18:36We promise
18:37no business
18:37owner any magic.
18:40We simply
18:40promise that
18:41we will do
18:41everything in our
18:43power to assist
18:44them and help
18:45them.
18:45And I'll
18:47sort of
18:48end with this
18:49point.
18:50So if you
18:51think of the
18:52largest black
18:53businesses in
18:54America,
18:55maybe,
18:56maybe a
18:57handful might
18:58make the
18:58Fortune 1000.
19:00But if you
19:01look at Black
19:01Enterprises'
19:02list of its
19:03top 100
19:04businesses,
19:05very few
19:06of them
19:07are in
19:07the Fortune
19:071000.
19:10Now one
19:10may say
19:11that's a
19:11glass half
19:13empty,
19:14I say it's
19:14a glass half
19:15full.
19:16That the
19:17upside for
19:18many of these
19:19businesses,
19:20if they get
19:20access to
19:21capital,
19:23patient capital,
19:24risk capital,
19:25venture capital,
19:27and can
19:27operationalize
19:28their ideas
19:29and their
19:29products and
19:30their services
19:30on a greater
19:31scale,
19:32that's what we
19:33have to think
19:33about in
19:34this area.
19:34We have
19:34to work
19:35on the
19:36small
19:36businesses,
19:37the one
19:38and two
19:38and three
19:38person
19:39businesses,
19:40family owned
19:41businesses.
19:42We've also
19:42got to work
19:43on building
19:43those that
19:44are ready
19:44to go to
19:45scale.
19:46I mean,
19:46Rich,
19:47Richelieu,
19:48has been a
19:49role model
19:50for taking
19:51a concept,
19:52taking an
19:53idea,
19:54taking a
19:54family business
19:55and building
19:56it to great
19:57scale with
19:58venture capital
19:58and beyond.
20:00We need more,
20:01and I'm
20:01confident
20:02there are
20:02many out
20:03there who
20:04are poised
20:04to do
20:05that,
20:05but that's
20:06got to be
20:07part of our
20:07strategy and
20:08approach today.
20:10Great,
20:11thank you for
20:11that.
20:12You know,
20:13as we're
20:13wrapping up,
20:15I know each
20:15of you have
20:16initiatives that
20:17you champion
20:17or lead as it
20:19comes to
20:19economic equity,
20:20and our
20:21community is
20:21very action
20:22minded,
20:23so could
20:23you tell
20:23us,
20:24how can
20:24we support
20:25your efforts?
20:28First Lady
20:28Shirley McCray,
20:29I'll start
20:29with you again.
20:30Well,
20:32it's a tough
20:34question.
20:34There's so much
20:35to do,
20:36and I want
20:36to thank you
20:37all for being
20:38on this panel
20:38because you're
20:39all so
20:40inspiring
20:41and role
20:42models in
20:42your own
20:43way.
20:44As you know,
20:45I'm a chair
20:46of the Task
20:47Force on
20:47Racial
20:48Inclusion
20:48and Equity,
20:49and I
20:51am so
20:52fortunate to
20:53be able to
20:54work with
20:54so many
20:55people within
20:56the government,
20:57primarily
20:58black and
20:59brown people
20:59who were
21:00most of
21:02these people
21:03were either
21:03born in
21:04the communities
21:04that we're
21:05serving or
21:06have lived
21:06and worked
21:08in these
21:08communities,
21:09and so it's
21:10a great
21:10coming together
21:11to serve
21:12the people
21:13who are
21:13hardest hit
21:13by COVID-19,
21:15and it's
21:16really been
21:18just a
21:19fascinating
21:20experience.
21:21We sent
21:21a survey
21:22out to
21:22all of
21:23the communities
21:24that were
21:25hit so hard,
21:26and what
21:26they came
21:27back with
21:27was they
21:29want mental
21:30health services,
21:31they're concerned
21:33about health
21:33and safety,
21:34and I think
21:35that we have
21:36to remember
21:36that we have
21:39to think
21:39about people
21:39holistically,
21:40have to think
21:41about them
21:41and their
21:42families and
21:42what it takes
21:43to help them
21:45get on their
21:46feet and be
21:46able to work,
21:47and so we're
21:49making sure
21:49that they have
21:51health care,
21:52that we've
21:52expanded our
21:53NYC care so
21:54that anyone
21:55can get
21:55health care,
21:57including mental
21:58health care,
21:59for free if
22:00necessarily,
22:00but certainly
22:01affordable,
22:02and that's
22:04important because
22:04if you don't
22:06have your
22:06health,
22:06you can't
22:07work,
22:08right?
22:08You can't
22:08get your
22:08business going,
22:10and we're
22:10making sure
22:11that our
22:11young people,
22:12as many as
22:14possible,
22:14have opportunities
22:15this summer
22:16to get
22:17training,
22:18skill training,
22:20mentoring,
22:20internships,
22:22and then
22:23in terms
22:24of our
22:25businesses,
22:26we're working
22:26now on our
22:27restaurant
22:28revitalization
22:29program,
22:29focused on
22:31the community's
22:31hardest hit,
22:32by investing
22:33in them
22:34through the
22:34Mayor's Fund
22:35to advance
22:36New York City
22:37with our
22:37partner,
22:38and with our
22:39partner One
22:40Fair Wage.
22:41We want to
22:41make sure
22:42that we save
22:43restaurants,
22:44we're beginning
22:45with $100,
22:46and when they
22:47can get up
22:47to $30,000
22:48in grants
22:49to pay
22:50the wages
22:51of their
22:52workers
22:52in six
22:52to 12
22:53weeks
22:53at $20
22:55per hour.
22:57This is
22:58important because
22:59it's so hard
23:00to get,
23:01first of all,
23:02as Richie
23:03just said,
23:03it's hard to
23:04get money
23:04from banks.
23:06It's hard,
23:06especially now,
23:08and we want
23:08to give
23:09everybody a
23:09jump start,
23:10as many people
23:11as possible
23:11a jump start
23:12to getting
23:12their businesses
23:13back,
23:14to help
23:15them with
23:16their health
23:16needs
23:17and to
23:17make sure
23:18that they
23:19can help
23:19that they
23:19can keep
23:20their families
23:20together.
23:21This is a
23:22call to action.
23:23How can
23:24you help?
23:25Please,
23:26anyone who
23:27can donate
23:27to NYC.gov
23:29slash opportunity.
23:31We need your
23:32money to help
23:34these restaurants,
23:35to help
23:35these small
23:36businesses
23:37that have
23:38been devastated.
23:40These communities
23:40that we are
23:41working with
23:42are the hardest
23:43hit by COVID-19.
23:44That means
23:45that they
23:45have suffered
23:46more death
23:47in these
23:48communities
23:48than any
23:49others in
23:49the city.
23:51There's a lot
23:52of grief,
23:53a lot of
23:53loss,
23:54but we're
23:56going to do
23:56everything that
23:56we can to
23:57help bring
23:58them back.
23:59Great.
24:01Richie Lou,
24:02again,
24:02how can the
24:03community help
24:04support the
24:05equity initiatives
24:06that you've
24:07already started?
24:09I mean,
24:10I think
24:10the first
24:12place to
24:13start is
24:14subscribe to
24:15Essence,
24:16right?
24:18Because that's
24:19where we get
24:21the resources
24:21to continue
24:22to invest
24:23back in the
24:23community.
24:24Two,
24:25it's also
24:26where we
24:26preserve
24:27black media
24:30and allows
24:32our voices
24:33to have
24:33platforms like
24:34this to
24:36share.
24:37So I think
24:38that's the
24:38first thing.
24:39I think
24:39the second
24:39way to
24:41help is
24:42to go
24:45in if
24:45you're a
24:45black
24:46business
24:46and sign
24:46up to
24:49the
24:49newvoicesfund.com.
24:51It's
24:51newvoicesfund.com
24:52where we've
24:55been investing
24:57in black
24:59entrepreneurs
24:59at scale
25:02now for
25:03many years.
25:07So this
25:08for us
25:09isn't new.
25:10The more
25:11entrepreneurs
25:12that we can
25:13invest in,
25:14the more
25:14entrepreneurs
25:15that we can
25:16help develop
25:16and bring
25:17along,
25:18the more
25:19impact we
25:20can have
25:21and the
25:21more of
25:23a roadmap
25:26we can set
25:27for all
25:27the new
25:28investment
25:29that's coming
25:29in,
25:29all the new
25:30investors
25:30that are
25:31coming in,
25:31right?
25:31Because
25:32there's a lot
25:33of desire
25:34to help
25:35now,
25:36but help
25:38alone by,
25:41again,
25:41I keep saying
25:42this,
25:42by writing
25:42checks alone
25:43isn't going
25:43to create
25:44a sustainable,
25:47not just
25:48recovery,
25:49but a
25:49sustainable
25:49drive
25:50to get
25:51those
25:52businesses
25:52that Mark
25:53talked about
25:53on the
25:55BE100 list
25:56to get to
25:57the levels
25:58that we were
25:58fortunate enough
25:59to get to
26:00and surpass,
26:00right?
26:01So the
26:01whole idea
26:02behind the
26:02New Voices
26:03Fund is
26:04that we
26:04should create
26:0530,
26:0640,
26:0650 sundials,
26:08right?
26:08Not just
26:09one,
26:10right?
26:10And so
26:12by coming
26:13on the
26:13platform,
26:14we get
26:15to have
26:15engagement
26:16with you,
26:17we get
26:17to help
26:17you develop,
26:18we get
26:18to provide
26:19resources
26:20to you
26:21that can
26:21then help
26:21others
26:22as they
26:23move along
26:23in the world.
26:24But I think
26:25really the
26:26most important
26:27thing that
26:27you can do
26:28or anybody
26:29can do
26:29to help
26:31us is
26:33to support
26:34all these
26:34young people
26:35that are
26:35out protesting,
26:36to support
26:37all these
26:37young people
26:38that are
26:38out making
26:39sure that
26:40they're heard,
26:40making sure
26:41that the
26:41world sees
26:42us,
26:42making sure
26:42that the
26:43world understands
26:45our challenges.
26:46and it
26:47doesn't just
26:47mean that
26:48we do
26:49it by
26:50marching in
26:51the street.
26:51It means
26:52that we
26:53think about
26:53where we
26:54spend our
26:54dollars and
26:55we're vocal
26:55about where
26:56we spend
26:57our dollars
26:57and where
26:57we don't
26:58spend our
26:58dollars.
26:59It's the
27:01events that
27:01we go to.
27:02It is how
27:03we choose
27:04to live
27:04and how
27:04we choose
27:05to move.
27:06It is
27:07the charities
27:08that we
27:09invest in
27:09and the ones
27:10that we
27:10don't invest
27:11in.
27:11So I
27:12think it's
27:13up to
27:14all of us
27:14individually
27:15to be
27:15really
27:15thoughtful
27:16about how
27:16we support
27:17what's begun
27:18so that it
27:19doesn't become
27:20three weeks
27:21from now
27:22it becomes
27:23an academic
27:23conversation
27:24it becomes
27:25an intellectual
27:26conversation.
27:27We need
27:27to keep
27:27this an
27:28action
27:28oriented
27:29accountable
27:30driven
27:32movement
27:33right?
27:34One that
27:35should be
27:36we should
27:36be talking
27:36about 20
27:37years from
27:37now
27:38because
27:38unfortunately
27:39just like
27:40the destruction
27:41that COVID
27:41has caused
27:42in the
27:42black
27:42community
27:43didn't
27:43happen
27:44just
27:44because
27:45COVID
27:45showed
27:46up.
27:46The destruction
27:47that's
27:47happened
27:48in the
27:49black
27:49community
27:50around
27:51racism
27:52didn't just
27:53show up
27:54with the
27:54killing
27:54of George
27:55Floyd
27:55right?
27:56It has
27:56been plaguing
27:57us for
27:58centuries
27:59and generations
28:00and so
28:00we have to
28:01make sure
28:02that we're
28:02prepared
28:03for this
28:03fight
28:04not just
28:05for the
28:05next week
28:05the next
28:06two weeks
28:06the next
28:07six months
28:07the next
28:0830
28:0840
28:09years
28:09so that
28:10we can
28:11reverse
28:12these
28:12entrenched
28:15systems
28:16and structures
28:17and turn
28:18them so
28:19that they're
28:19benefiting
28:20every one
28:21of us
28:22with equity
28:24in this
28:24country
28:24so for me
28:26there's a lot
28:26that we need
28:27to do
28:27but I think
28:28the number
28:28one thing
28:28is being
28:29thoughtful
28:29about where
28:29you spend
28:30your dollars
28:30and investing
28:31it in a
28:32way that
28:33allows us
28:33to sustain
28:34this movement
28:36that we're
28:37building up
28:37today.
28:39Oh and by
28:39the way
28:39mark
28:40since we
28:41don't have
28:42a center
28:42in New
28:44York
28:45let this
28:46partnership
28:47put one
28:47in New
28:48York.
28:48I agree
28:49with all
28:49of the
28:49above
28:49very quickly
28:50yes
28:51subscribe to
28:52Essence
28:52magazine
28:53yes
28:54become a
28:54member of
28:54the National
28:55Urban League
28:56you can do
28:57it online
28:57yes
28:58make sure
28:59you are
28:59part of
29:00the Black
29:00Lives Matter
29:01protest
29:02movement
29:02either by
29:03participating
29:04in the
29:04protest
29:04lending
29:05your voice
29:06online
29:07educating
29:08your friends
29:09and co-workers
29:10about what
29:11this moment
29:11means
29:12yes
29:12make sure
29:13you fill
29:13out your
29:14census form
29:15that data
29:16determines
29:16the money
29:17and the
29:17power
29:17that comes
29:18to our
29:19community
29:19yes
29:20be intentional
29:21about trying
29:22to spend
29:22money
29:22with African
29:23American
29:24owned
29:25businesses
29:26yes
29:27support
29:28each other
29:29it's what
29:30we can do
29:30and be an
29:31advocate
29:31we need
29:33to elevate
29:34the idea
29:35of economic
29:36equity
29:36and business
29:38growth
29:38to a higher
29:40level on the
29:40political agenda
29:41and yes
29:42on the civil
29:42rights
29:43and social
29:44justice
29:44agenda
29:45in this
29:46country
29:46and I think
29:47that's why
29:48this panel
29:48is so important
29:49that's why
29:50the work
29:50of the first
29:51lady
29:51the work
29:51of rich
29:52certainly
29:53the work
29:53we're doing
29:54is so critical
29:55to this
29:56moment
29:56economic
29:57justice
29:58is racial
30:00justice
30:00economic
30:01justice
30:02is racial
30:02justice
30:03economic
30:04justice
30:04is a
30:04component
30:05of social
30:06justice
30:07it all
30:07goes together
30:08and we've
30:09got to
30:09raise our
30:10voices
30:10and make
30:12sure that
30:12that is
30:13not forgotten
30:13well you
30:15heard him
30:15that was a
30:16perfect note
30:16to end
30:17on
30:17again
30:18first lady
30:19Trillane
30:19McRae
30:20Richie
30:20Lou Dennis
30:21Mark
30:21Morial
30:21thank you
30:22so much
30:22for joining
30:23us today
30:23thank you
30:24thank you
30:25all good
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