August is National Black Business Month, a time to recognize, celebrate and support the contributions of more than 3 million Black-owned U.S. businesses. At Inspire, our Black Voices Business Resource Group (BRG) partnered with the Georgia Diversity Council to host the first-ever Black Empowerment Summit at our Global Support Center in Atlanta.
Host a variety of speakers and panelists to discuss the topic Crossroads of Identity: Embracing Black Intersectionalitythe summit also included a Black Business Vendor Marketplace to showcase local entrepreneurs. Vendors represented the creative networks of our Black Voices BRG members, such as urban farm BEE FREE FARM, which teaches agricultural and sustainable practices, metalsmith and jewelry maker Black Girl on Fire, organic sugar scrub and hair care company Celestial Ever Green, cold-pressed juices from Celery Gang, and Dope Pieces Puzzle Company, which makes culturally inclusive puzzles.
“We are thrilled to launch the marketplace as a BRG,” says Melody Blount, Quality Assurance Manager at Inspire and co-leader of Black Voices BRG. “It is a gift to promote local entrepreneurs in the community and share their unique offerings and platforms.”
With opening remarks from Natalie Rothman, Chief People Officer at Inspire and Executive Sponsor of the Black Voices BRG, the Black Empowerment Summit officially opened and the vendor marketplace launched. “We are thrilled to host this summit at Inspire. As a global company with six brands, 32,600 restaurants and 675,000 team members around the world, it is rewarding to highlight our diverse culture.”
Summit attendees also heard from keynote speaker and Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Michael Baptiste, as well as Georgia Diversity Council Advisory Board Member and UPS Senior Manager for Global DEI Jessica Macon, as she moderated a panel discussion on the intersections of race, identity and activism.
Prominent figures and thought leaders from the black community took part in the discussion, including:
- Danielle V. Jackson, DEI Manager at Firstkey Homes
- Dom Mitial, Vice President of Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Goldbergs Group
- Malik Brown, LGBT Affairs Coordinator for the City of Atlanta
- Marche Williams, Executive Director of Emory University
- Yvette Pegues, Managing Director of Your Invisible Disability Group
For more information about how we put people at the centre of the communities where we work and operate, visit the Inspire Impact site.
